Dark Justice
by Cumor
Summary: Jasper is assisting Carlisle at the hospital as part of his punishment when a patient catches his attention and steals a little piece of his heart. Fearing that she is the victim of abuse he will stop at nothing to see that justice is served, but what is the true cost of vengeance? Will contain disciplinary spanking of a teenage vampire. Don't like it, please don't read.
1. The Doctor's Assistant

**Warning: **Will contain disciplinary spanking of a teenage vampire. If you do not find this acceptable please move along. Thanks.

**Disclaimer:** All the wonderful Twilight characters that you recognize are property of Stephenie Meyer. I am very grateful that she is kind enough to loan them to us. I promise no loss of limbs or life though pain and angst are a given.

**AN:** This is a spin off from my story "What Could Possibly Go Wrong", but I believe it will end up being capable of standing on its own. This was supposed to be the epilogue before it took a wrong turn and decided to become its own story. Not quite sure how it's going to get to where it needs to be though it would appear that it will be a rather dark journey for our sweet solider boy. Here's hoping that Daddy will be able to help him find his way back before the darkness consumes him. Thanks to my wondrous beta, Splinter and Cullen1007 for being my sounding boards as to what to do with this ... detour. Hope that it's an enjoyable journey. At the very least it should be an interesting one.

* * *

"Hello, Amanda. How are you feeling this morning?" Carlisle smiled down at the pale little raven haired girl curled up on the hospital bed before giving her mother a slight nod as he thumbed through the chart in his hand.

"A little better."

"Doctor Cullen, Mandy has been complaining a lot about the pain. Isn't there something more that you can do for her?" The girl's mother wrung her hands anxiously as she stood next to the bed fidgeting.

"We have her on morphine to ease her pain, Mrs. Hayford. I assure you we are monitoring your daughter's condition very closely and will continue to do all that we can to keep her as comfortable as possible."

A soft groan, no doubt brought on by the mother's agitation, caused Carlisle to glance quickly at his son.

"Amanda, this is my son, Jasper. Is it alright with you if he assists me today?"

The tiny girl turned her bright blue eyes on Jasper and smiled. "Sure. He's kind of cute."

The boy pushed away the torment he was experiencing from the emotionally charged room and managed to give the little girl a cocky half smile. "Well you're right cute yourself there, little lady."

The girl ducked her head and giggled as Carlisle took a seat next to the bed and began to carefully remove the dressings covering her arm.

"What happened ta ya, pipsqueak?" Jasper cocked his head showing genuine interest in the girl's case.

"Daddy was frying some fish outside while I was running around playing, not watching where I was going as usual." She rolled her eyes as she admitted to her carelessness. "I tripped over the fryer and knocked it over; dumped oil all over my arm and leg."

Jasper whistled long and low. "Ouch. That don't sound good at all."

"Tell me about it." Amanda looked down for a few seconds then glanced back up at the young wheaten haired assistant. "Hey, you talk sort of funny."

"Amanda! That is not a nice thing to say," he mother admonished sharply.

"No harm, ma'am. Besides, it's true. I'm not from around these parts. I was born down in Texas."

"Ooo, you're a cowboy?" The girl's eyes brightened with wonder.

"I've run cows a time or two," he gave her a little wink.

"Jasper, please hand me some gauze pads," Carlisle requested quietly. When there was no response from his son, he looked up to find the boy deep in conversation about horses with his patient. The doctor sighed. "Jasper."

The stern edge to his father's soft tone quickly summoned the boy's attention. "I'm sorry, Papa, did you say somethin'?"

"Sterile gauze, son. Please hand me some so I can get this covered back up."

"Oh." He glanced away to avoid the disappointed look that he feared seeing in his father's eyes. Jasper pulled on some gloves before busying himself with opening packets of gauze. "Won't that stick to the wound?"

Amanda piped up before Carlisle had a chance to take a breath. "There is a wax antibacterial mesh thingy between me and the gauze. Keeps the gauze from sticking and is supposed to keep my arm and leg from getting all nasty and falling off."

Carlisle raised his eyes and smiled at his young patient. "It is so nice to know that at least someone around here listens to me."

Jasper huffed slightly as he rolled his eyes causing the little girl to break down into a fit of giggles.

"Jasper, what did you just do?"

"Nothing, Dr. Cullen. I didn't do a single thing; least not anything that can be proven." Jasper grinned as he gave the young girl a conspiratory wink.

Carlisle shot his son a look that caused their little patient to laugh even harder.

"Not cool, pipsqueak," Jasper whispered to the girl as he poked a finger into Amanda's side making her squirm while she slapped at his hand.

Ignoring the horseplay to the best of his ability, Carlisle finished up rewrapping his patient's wounds then got to his feet. Grasping her beneath the arms, he gently lifted the child up in the bed and straightened her blanket while Jasper fluffed her pillow. "Well, young lady, it appears that you are making a splendid recovery. I would like to keep you for another day or two just to make sure that there won't be any issues with infection." Carlisle glanced up at the girl's mother for a moment before returning his attention to his patient. "But if you keep improving at this rate you will be up and running in no time. That said, I want you to be more careful about what you run into from here on out. Doctor's orders. Deal?" The doctor held out his hand which the girl quickly took and shook firmly.

"Deal." She nodded and grinned at Carlisle and his assistant. "Oh, by the way, Doctor Cullen, feel free to bring your assistant back anytime."

Carlisle gave the girl a gentle smile as he nodded slightly before exiting the room.

"See ya around, kiddo. Maybe I'll come by tomorrow if you behave yourself and do what the doctor and nurses tell ya to." Jasper gave Amanda a quick tickle and ruffled her hair before ducking out the door behind his father.

Father and son walked down the hall in a comfortable silence until Jasper finally spoke. "She was nervous when she talked about her accident."

"Yes. Obviously, I can't feel it as you can, but I can read it in her body language."

"She did have an accident, right? I mean no one would purposely…" Jasper reached out and caught his father's arm bringing Carlisle to a halt. "Carlisle?"

Carlisle met his son's eyes then looked away with a sigh. "I have my suspicions, Jasper."

"And you haven't done anything?"

As Carlisle looked back at his son he was stung by the accusatory expression in the boy's eyes. "I have filed a report with Child Protection and I'm keeping her here where I know she is safe until they complete their investigation. There is little else that I can do."

"Like hell there isn't. You go get a man like that and…"

"And what, Son? There is no place for vigilantism here. You have to let the system work. If there is abuse it will be uncovered and the child will be put in foster care; not that I'm entirely enamored with that prospect either, but at least that should offer her a safer environment. It would be better to get both mother and child out of that situation, if things are indeed as they seem."

"This is bullshit, Carlisle!"

"You will lower your voice immediately. I will not have you causing a scene." Carlisle's voice was quiet and velvety smooth, but carried a warning tone that his son could not fail to notice.

Jasper gritted his teeth as he glared at his father and whispered, "That is complete and utter bullshit and you know it. The system is a hapless joke. The only way to help them is to go and take them out of there. I get that the mother is nervous too. I take it that she is on the receiving end of a back hand or three and needs to be rescued, but you can't leave that little girl at the mercy of her father or the fucking system."

Carlisle's eyes flashed as they began to blacken. "Watch your tone and mind that tongue, Jasper. If you don't think that this bothers me, you are sadly mistaken my boy. Do you realize how often cases like this come up? No, you don't. At this stage we don't know what is going on. There is no proof and the child has made no claims of abuse. Amanda Hayford very well could have been the victim of her own clumsiness and the only thing that her parents are guilty of is not keeping a closer eye on their child; something I'm obviously guilty of myself from time to time."

"This is different and you know it."

"No I don't and neither do you. It's easy to jump to conclusions, but what we need are facts. At this moment there are people at work gathering those facts and you have to trust them to do their job. You or I would make their tasks much more difficult if we were to try to take matters into our own hands."

Jasper turned away from his father. "How do you do it? How can you come in here day after day, see these horrors for what they are and be able to sit back and let it happen again? Where is that fathomless compassion right now?"

Carlisle rubbed his eyes as a groan of frustration escaped his throat. "Jasper, if you wish to continue discussing this, I suggest that we take it to my office. This is not the place for it."

"No. I'm done. That's fine. Let your people do their jobs and what not, but if something happens to that little girl it will all be on you." Jasper's eyes darkened as he growled softly. "And for the record, if that does happen, the so called father's ass is mine. His life won't be worth a plugged nickel."

Carlisle reached out and grabbed his son's wrist firmly. "You will do nothing. Right now, you are going to take a little break. Go outside. Take a walk. Clear your head, son because it seems that the ambient emotions are starting to wear on you and causing you not to think straight. Take as much time as you need, then when you are ready come back and have me paged. I would prefer that you not wander around the hospital by yourself right now. You've maintained excellent control today, but this emotional upheaval is taking a toll on you. We don't need any accidents."

"I'm fine."

"Jasper, do as I say." While spoken just above a whisper, Carlisle's words carried the full force of his authority.

Both men stared at one another for several seconds before Jasper finally nodded and headed towards the nearest door. As the boy stepped outside, Carlisle sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to release the stress from the last few minutes from his body. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the wall, concentrating on the slow intake of air into his useless lungs.

"Are you alright, Dr. Cullen?"

"Yes, Gloria. Thank you for asking. Just had a minor misunderstanding with my son; nothing to worry about. Children have a tendency to be a bit hard headed sometimes." Carlisle opened his eyes trusting that the calming effect of his measured breathing had returned them to their golden color.

"Don't I know it," the gray haired nurse grinned. "Thank the Lord that boy of yours has a good head on his shoulders. You've done a fine job with him. He'll come around."

"I hope so. He really has been a big help today and I was enjoying getting to spend some extra time with him."

"Dr. Cullen, the way he was shadowing you makes me think that he could turn into a fine doctor one of these days. Patients seem to like him."

Carlisle smiled taking pride in the praise the aged nurse had for his son. Jasper did indeed have an excellent bedside manner. He had been attentive and helpful as an assistant, but he also managed to ease some of the patients' stress. Carlisle felt certain that the boy's gift was being put to use in many of those cases. A bit unorthodox at best, though anything that helped a patient relax stood to assist in speeding recovery; something that the physician would welcome with open arms.

"Well, I don't know that Jasper's interests really lie in the field of medicine, but I think it's good to expose my children to as many experiences and options as possible. He has a few days off from school so this seemed like a good way for me to keep an eye on him while letting him get a feel for what I do."

The nurse thought for a moment and nodded her agreement. "I do hope that he at least considers medicine. He seems to have a gift."

"Oh that he does, Gloria. That he does."

Carlisle exchanged clipboards with the nurse as they walked towards trauma and some new unfortunate individual whose condition or injury awaited his skills. While Gloria droned on about the patient's condition and history, the doctor half listened as he silently prayed that he had truly done well by Jasper. He hoped that given time to calm down, his son would come to realize that his was the right way of handling this situation. The last thing any of them needed was for his boy to go off on some unwarranted avenging crusade.

The doctor's last thought before shifting his focus to the case at hand was that he trusted and shared Gloria's opinion that Jasper did indeed have a good head on his shoulders, he just hoped that the boy would use it. He had to believe that he would then everything would work its way out and they would all be fine.

Pushing the exam room open he smiled at the patient on the gurney. "Hello, my name is Doctor Cullen. What brings you in to see us today?"


	2. Hell's Fury

"How can he, of all people, not do something more? He knows what effects that sort of scum has on a child; knows that intimately and he does nothing?!"

Jasper stalked across Bogachiel Way and soon disappeared into the trees as he raged on.

He was furious with Carlisle for not being livid. He was exacerbated by a system of justice that could allow these things to happen and not put a swift stop to it. Mostly, however he was enraged at the man that possessed the malice that it would take to inflict damage on not just a child, but his own child.

Jasper snarled as he passed the houses and finally plunged into the deeper forest at a flat out run. He needed to find a way to expend the energy building up inside of him before he exploded.

The boy was grateful that his father had suggested that he distance himself for a little while, because he wasn't sure that he would be able to continue to suppress his anger. Hell, he wasn't even sure that he wanted to. What he did know was that he wanted to meet this man who caused his child so much agony and give him a taste of his own medicine.

"You wanna push a poor defenseless little girl around? Fucking coward. Come on and see if you've got the balls to stand up to a man; better yet, a demon. Bastard wouldn't be so badass then, I'd wager."

The southerner gnashed his teeth as he seethed. Jasper didn't know how far he had run though it seemed that civilization was well behind him. Stopping for a moment beneath the towering pines, he inhaled deeply and strained to hear. Catching neither scent nor sound of anything even remotely human, the young blond quickly stripped down to his boxers then placed his clothes safely out of the way. He needed to hunt, but it would do no good for him to walk back into the hospital with blood on him.

Marking where he left his clothes, he stalked through the trees following a strong musky scent. It didn't take long for Jasper to locate the huge bull moose as it grazed peacefully oblivious to the danger it was in.

With a rumbling growl, Jasper crouched down low to obscure his outline as he curled his toes in the soft earth. He was a predator of great speed and stealth, normally dealing a death blow before his victim was even aware that a killer was in its midst, but today... Today he craved a battle instead of swift execution. This was about much more than the need to feed.

Stalking from downwind he crept closer and closer to the aging bull then shifted his position just enough to allow an updraft to catch his scent. Immediately the heavy antlered head shot up and turned in his direction with ears pinned back, grunting in alarm. On instinct, the predator froze as his prey eyed the tall windblown grass with suspicion while stamping his feet in warning.

Venom flowed into Jasper's mouth while his onyx eyes scanned his prey for weaknesses. It was an old bull, but still strong and virile. His scarred hide stood as a testimony to the many battles he had fought and victories he had claimed. It seemed almost a shame that this was one battle he would not walk away from, but Jasper had no doubt that his offspring filled the surrounding territories spreading the bull's superior genes through future generations. Curling his toes again in the earth to ground himself, the pale predator slowly stood, allowing the majestic monarch a first glimpse of his doom.

The moose bellowed then dropped his huge head low while swinging it from side to side. The animal had judged his inability to outrun the creature that stood before it, leaving him only one option. The monarch would fight. Blowing loudly he charged only to veer away at the last second pulling up to a stop some yards away to paw at the ground. Chocolate brown eyes blinked at the strange being that hadn't flinched away from his mock charge. Snorting in frustration the bull turned back to aim his palmated antlers at this odd foe as he charged again.

A sharp hoof glanced off Jasper's temple as the bull struck at him, but he made no move until he was scooped up in the immense antlers and tossed through the air like a rag doll. Lightly landing on his feet, he roared then raced towards the animal. With fluid cat like movements, he leaped upon the massive bull's back sinking his teeth into its shoulder as he wrapped his arms around the muscular neck. The burning pain enraged the moose causing him to bellow and buck in a futile attempt to dislodge the predator.

Blood from the superficial wound coated Jasper's tongue with its salty warmth and soothed the burning of his throat. He wanted more. His body cried out for more as the coppery scent enticed him, but he released his hold and allowed himself to be tossed freely from the beast. Before he could face his prey, the expansive antlers slammed into his back sliding him along until they managed to knock him down; pinning him down to the ground.

The moose kicked and stomped at the creature which had caused him pain as the fire from his wound spread through his back, but he could have attacked a mountain for the good that it did. Jasper rolled over onto his back and kicked against the bull's leg to be rewarded by the sickening snap of breaking bone. The vocalizations which had rolled with rage were now filled with pain bringing Jasper a pang of regret.

The fierce predator sat up and watched as his quarry hobbled a short distance on three legs. He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head in disgust. He was better than this. He had allowed his fury to overcome him which resulted in this poor beast's suffering. No innocent being deserved to suffer like that; not that little girl and not this mighty animal.

The last thing the moose saw was a blur of light before his neck snapped and he fell to the ground; his pain finally ended. Jasper's strong teeth tore through the thick hide releasing a fountain of blood that flowed down his throat. The warmth of the nourishing vital liquid flushed through his body before quickly cooling and calming the worst of his anger.

After drinking his fill, Jasper ran his hands over his fallen opponent as he bowed his head in reverence. "A man's greatness is judged by the power of his foes. Thank you for making me a better being." Shifting the massive body so that the proud head faced towards the east, the hunter sent out a silent prayer of thanks to the animal for his sacrifice and released its spirit to the wind.

Standing, Jasper deeply inhaled the blood scented air before trotting off towards the sound of running water.

He barely recognized the face that stared back at him from the surface of the tea stained creek. His honey colored eyes were still dark, even after his feast, and blood and dirt coated his body. Jasper looked like a wild savage thing; a far cry from the young man who, just hours ago, had followed his father around the hospital attending to the sick and injured. Tilting his head to the side he contemplated the creature in the water. This was the vampire in his purest form. This was what he truly was. This brutal beast that he kept carefully hidden behind the mask of humanity. With an angry yowl he struck at his reflection then began to wash the grime from his arms, chest and face.

Jasper groaned as he raked his fingers through his hair trying to dislodge the worst of the debris tangled in his blonde locks. Maybe the brutality didn't really come from the vampire at all. Perhaps that was something left over from the human that had been. There was no animal that walked the planet as cruel or as capable of senseless violence as a human being. The vampire killed to survive, just like all other predators in nature. Humans far too often killed and maimed for pleasure. Even perceived cruelty in animals, like a cat playing with a mouse before killing it, was not done with the intention of being cruel. Instead it was an exercise in the sharping of skills or teaching the young the art of survival. What reasoning could humans give for their cruelty? What possible excuse did a human have that could begin to explain the maiming of his child? _NONE!_

"Maybe we should have been striving to become more vampiric instead of human all this time." Jasper sighed in frustration.

A glance at his watch showed that he had already been gone too long. Carlisle would start to worry soon and there was something that Jasper wanted to do before they left the hospital for the day.

Darting back along the path he had taken, the boy easily located his clothing and quickly dressed. He was certain that he was still a little disheveled, but he would find some way of explaining his appearance if questions were asked. He raced through the trees until he found himself back at the edge of civilization then slowed to a smooth jog as he headed for the hospital.

* * *

"Oh, what happened to you, Mr. Cullen?" Amanda's eyes went wide as she stared at the young man.

"I went for a walk and was mauled by a bear." Jasper smirked as he walked over to her bed. "And please, drop the mister bit. You are making me feel as old as my dad. It's just Jasper, but you can call me Jazz; all of my friends do." He glanced around the room then added, "Where's your mom, pipsqueak?"

"She went to get something to eat. Did you need her? She has her cell on and I can call if you want."

He shook his head quickly. "Nah, it was you I was comin' to see." Jasper gave her a wink before handing her the bag he was carrying.

"What's this?"

"Open it and find out."

The little girl's squeal of delight caused Jasper to smile. "I take it that you like him?"

Hugging the brown and white spotted stuffed horse tightly, Amanda looked up at Jasper with a grin. "I love him! Thank you so much, Jazz. I think I'll call him Jasper."

He raised a brow as he cocked his head to the side. "Are you saying that I look like a horse?"

The only response he received was a delighted giggle.

"I'm glad that you like him. I was figurin' that you would give him a good home. I had a horse that looked just like that when I was a touch older than you. Well,of course, he was a good bit bigger. Best cow pony in all of Houston."

"I would love to have a horse, but mom and dad say that we don't have room for one."

"That's what those mini horses are for. So small you can keep 'em in the house, though if I tried that my momma would have my hide in no time. Horse poop on cream colored carpet; not a good combination there." He shook his head sadly as if he spoke from experience.

Jasper pulled a chair a bit closer to the girl's bed and sat down. "Amanda, sweetheart, if I ask you a hard question, do you think you would be willing to try to answer it for me?"

"My teacher says that I'm smart so sure. Give me your best shot."

"This isn't one of those book smarts questions. I was just wondering if you ever feel scared."

"Sure. Doesn't everyone? I watch a lot of scary movies so sometimes late at night I get creeped out by strange noises and things, but the dark or things like that don't bother me." She seemed to swell up with pride at the end of her statement. "Why? Don't you get scared sometimes?"

"Yes, but I tend to get scared for other people." He opened himself more fully to allow him to read her emotional state. "What I really meant was is there anyone who frightens you?"

"Like the bogyman?"

Jasper took a breath and smiled gently. "No, honey, like a real person. Have you ever felt threatened? Has anyone ever hurt you on purpose or threatened to hurt someone you love?"

Amanda chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully before she slowly nodded. "There is Phillip at school. He's a bully, but Dad told me that a swift kick will take the wind out of his sails and that's what I plan on doing the next time he tries pushing me around."

_So the father promotes violence._

Leaning slightly forward to look directly into Amanda's eyes, Jasper spoke softly. "Darlin', know that you won't get into any trouble by answering this. It is just between you and me and goes no further. Does your father have any problems controlling his temper? Has he ever hurt you or your momma? You can tell me, sweetie. He'll never hurt you again."

"There you are, Jasper. I should have realized that you couldn't stay away from our pretty little patient for long. You always did have an eye for the ladies." Carlisle smiled and gave Amanda a wink as he strode into the room. "I'm sorry to take him away from you, Amanda, but I need his help over in emergency and I would like you to get some rest, young lady."

"Aw, we were just talking and look." She held up the plush pony for Carlisle to see. "Jazz gave me a horse. I have a horse from a real cowboy. How cool is that?"

"It is quite cool, but I'm afraid that you still need to loan Jasper to me. I'll make sure that he gets to visit tomorrow; not that I could keep him away." The doctor placed his hand firmly on his son's shoulder as he spoke to the young girl.

"Duty calls, pipsqueak." Jasper stood then leaned over to give the child a quick hug. "You make sure to take good care of your pony and he will take care of you. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I will. I promise. See ya, Jazz. Bye, Dr. Cullen."

Once father and son found themselves out in the hall Jasper started to speak, but Carlisle's raised hand silenced him.

"Not here. Go to my office and wait. I'll be there in a few minutes." The sternness in Carlisle's quiet voice brought a shudder to the younger man.

Maybe he shouldn't have made that detour when he returned to the hospital. He had been told to let Carlisle know when he was back, but it hadn't seemed that important at the time. Surely his father could understand the reason for his disobedience. He had to find out the truth from the little girl and catching her when the mother was out was the best possible time. A quick glance into those dark topaz eyes told Jasper that his father was not going to accept this excuse at all.

The boy dropped his head and nodded then muttered a soft, "Yes, Sir" before he and his father parted ways; Carlisle towards the trauma ward and Jasper to await his doom.

* * *

**AN:** Tough go for Jasper. The hunt helped him work off some of his aggression, but he managed to talk himself back into a pissed off state. His heart is really in the right place, but he is going about it wrong. Then there is poor Carlisle. The last thing he wants to do is punish Jasper after just having dealt with a round of the Hello Kitty paddle. The boy is not making things easy on either of them.

Thanks to Splinter for proofing and thanks so much for all the support, guys. This one makes me nervous so knowing that y'all are in my corner means the world.


	3. Confrontation

"What were you thinking, Son?" Carlisle leaned against the edge of his desk with his arms crossed as stared down at the youth sitting mute and miserable in the chair before him. "Have you suddenly lost your ability to comprehend the English language? I have a working knowledge of several other languages. Maybe you would understand my instructions better in one of those. Since you are familiar with taking orders in Spanish, perhaps that would be the key to gaining your compliance."

Jasper curled up a little tighter with his chin plastered against his chest. He knew Carlisle expected him to keep his head up out of respect, but at this moment there was no way he could bring himself to look into his father's eyes. He could feel Carlisle's anger, but worse than that was the bitter overpowering disappointment that rolled off of the elder in crushing waves.

The boy shook his head as he weakly muttered, "I understood you, Papa."

"So this really is a case of deliberate disobedience?" Carlisle slipped off the desk and took the couple of steps needed to reach his son. "Jasper, look at me," he demanded through clenched teeth.

Again the wheaten haired boy shook his head despondently as he found himself wishing for some sort of emergency that would call his father away.

Carlisle's hands settled on his hips as he tilted his head back with eyes closed and sighed in frustration. "And the defiance continues."

"I don't mean to be difficult, Sir it's just that I can't..."

"Can't what, Jasper? Can't follow simple instructions? Can't be bothered to listen? Can't consider for a single moment that someone else might understand the situation just a little bit better than you?"

_Yep, Carlisle is madder than a bobcat caught in a piss fire_. Jasper sighed quietly as he decided that his best option was to speak as little as possible since his father did not appear interested in excuses. He bit his bottom lip as his feverish mind tried to find some angle that would rescue him from this disaster that he had created.

Carlisle crouched down to allow him to look into his boy's eyes. "Jasper, I don't understand where this is coming from? If anyone had told me that you would behave like this, I would have called him a liar. I would expect this level of impudence from Emmett, but never from you. Did you and he make some sort of pact in the hopes of driving me mad, because if that is the case it's working? Right now he is reasonably well behaved where you are ..."

The elder stood and stalked towards the far wall of the room gaining as much distance between himself and his son as the small room would allow. He rubbed his eyes as he fought against his rampant irritation. It was clear that Jasper thought his actions were acceptable, which made it much more difficult for Carlisle to get through to him let alone correct his son's behavior. He had to be made to see the folly in what he had done before his father could even hope to deter him from future incidences of this nature.

"Jasper, you are listening to your heart, but you need to start using your head. The questions that you were asking that little girl were out of line and could have compromised the investigation because you don't know what you are doing."

The boy looked at his father with a deeply hurt expression that tugged at Carlisle's heart.

"Son." Carlisle drew a breath before he allowed his voice to soften as he tried to explain. "You are not trained to handle these sorts of issues. You don't know the laws surrounding the matter nor do you have the knowledge of how to properly conduct an interview. I am not trying to insult you, but there is a reason that I told you to let the professionals do their job. If you ask the wrong questions it will appear that you have planted the idea of abuse in Amanda's head. Would you want to be responsible for an abuser getting away with his crime simply because his victim's testimony couldn't be trusted?"

Jasper continued to stare at his father with wide hurt eyes then shook his head as he glanced down at his hands resting in his lap.

"Jasper, I know that you want to help. I completely understand that and it is admirable, but you have to take the proper channels to be effective. You cannot play investigator, judge and jury. God forbid that you try to take on the mantel of executioner. No matter how good your intentions are, that will not help Amanda, but there is something that you can do. Right now you are doing that young lady a world of good just by being there and being a friend to her." Carlisle patted his son's knee lightly. "She very well could open up to you since she seems to trust you, which would be a wonderful thing, but you have to let that happen naturally. I don't want to hear any more of this game of fifty questions. Am I making myself clear?"

The boy nodded.

"Las palabras, por favor."

Jasper rolled his eyes as he muttered, "Yes, Sir. You have made yourself as clear as crystal."

Carlisle tapped his son lightly beneath the jaw causing him to lift his head slightly and meet his father's eyes. "Will you actually follow my instructions this time?"

Jasper's answer came in the form of a resounding silence that caused Carlisle to sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have to know," was Jasper's simple response to his father's frustration.

"You will know. Since this means so much to you, as soon as the social workers have finished with their investigation I will let you know their findings. That being said, I forbid you from having any contact with Amanda's father. If he is in the hospital when you are here you will give him a wide berth. You will not confront him here or anywhere else and you most certainly will not seek him out to do the man harm. These are my final words on this matter."

Jasper's jaw clenched as he watched his father return to his feet. "I don't even know what he looks like, but if I find out that he is in the hospital I'll keep away from the room. Hell, I'll stay off the Ward entirely."

"Mhm." Carlisle raised a brow at his son's statement, well aware of the fact that he was only responding to part of his order. "Jasper, if you cross that line things will get unpleasant very quickly for all parties concerned. Mark my words, young man. You do not want to test me on this."

"I understand, Sir."

Carlisle shook his head as he walked around his desk and shuffled through the uppermost drawer.

Jasper cleared his throat nervously then spoke. "Papa?"

"Mhm."

"Papa, will I be gettin' a lickin' for this?"

Carlisle stopped his search and looked over into his boy's dark amber eyes. "Do you think you deserve one?"

The young blonde shifted under the penetrating gaze. "Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Well, I know that I should have done some things differently, but I don't think what I did was really that wrong."

"Deliberate disobedience is no longer wrong in your eyes, Jasper? I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but it is still very much inexcusable in mine."

"But I wasn't being deliberately disobedient," the younger man countered much to Carlisle's dismay.

"I would have never thought that a vampire could suffer psychogenic amnesia." The doctor's brow furrowed while concern clearly shown in his eyes.

"I don't have amnesia, Carlisle." Jasper huffed with resentment. "Nor do I have a screw loose and would kindly request that you don't make that assumption."

Carlisle folded his arms as his gaze hardened. "Then you are lying to me, Son. If your memory has not been altered there should be no reason for you not to see the fault in your behavior."

"I know that I should have found you first when I came back to the hospital. That was wrong of me, but I would have come to find you just as soon as I finished up with Amanda. It wasn't like I was completely ignoring you with that. I wasn't being deliberately defiant. I just got distracted and took a small detour on my way back to work; could have happened to anyone."

"A small detour." Carlisle sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "Jasper, I thought my instructions were quite clear. I did not want you wandering around the hospital unsupervised in the state that you were in."

"But my state had improved. I went for a hunt which cleared my head and calmed me down. I wasn't a threat to anyone and I wasn't wandering around the hospital. I went straight to Amanda's room." _Why is Carlisle being so damn stubborn? I didn't do anything that would have caused a problem. _"I did stop by the gift shop on my way to her room, but that's exactly where it is, on the way, so that really wasn't much of a detour either. Be reasonable, Papa."

Carlisle growled softly as his patience reached its end. "Son, I am not going to continue this argument with you any further. Come here."

Jasper swallowed hard as he eyed his father with concern. Slowly he stood up and, taking a deep breath, closed the distance between his father and himself. He shivered slightly while thoughts of using his gift flooded his mind. Not wishing to anger Carlisle any further, he dismissed the idea nearly a quickly as it had appeared. No, if Carlisle felt that he deserved to be punished here and now, he would accept it like a man. Trying to keep quiet so as not to alert the humans nearby would be difficult at best, especially after what his rear end had been through over the course of the last two days. _You managed to land yourself smack in the middle of the final leg of an ass whippin' trifecta. Good goin'. Now don't you feel special, Jazzy-boy?_

"Here, take these." Carlisle held his hand out towards Jasper, who simply stared at him with a puzzled expression that caused the patriarch to sigh. "Jasper, please hold out your hand."

_He's going to whack my hand? Well that don't make a lick of sense at all. _Rediscovering his self-preserving common sense, Jasper did as he was told and found his father's car keys pressed firmly into his open palm.

"Take my car and go straight home. Your work here is through for the day. Please send your mother back to pick me up in about a hour. We'll talk more when I get home and I'm going to ask you to stay in your room until then. Maybe having a little time to reflect on your actions will enlighten you to the problems they stand to cause." Carlisle dipped his head slightly then added, "Or, maybe you will find some logical way to defend yourself and help me see the light. Either would be an improvement on our current stalemate."

Jasper turned the spare set of keys over in his hand as he thought for a few seconds. "I can stay and wait for you. I will stay put here in your office if you like. Promise that I won't sneak off to go try to quiz Amanda again; besides, I'm sure her mom is back by now so it's not like I a have a chance anyway."

"No, Son. I think it will be much better if you get out of this environment. Go home where at least you don't have to be on your guard constantly. Just maybe, if you can relax a bit you'll come to see reason. I am going to try to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that this insolence is stemming from you not being able to think clearly due to being emotionally over stimulated. That, at least, would be something that we can work with. If that isn't the cause… Well, Son at the moment I don't know what we can do to correct the problem, but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it."

Carlisle quickly pulled Jasper into a hug. "Just a little bump in the road, Jazz," he whispered softly in his boy's ear.

"I'm a thinkin' this is more like a huge sink hole that swallows half of the town."

Carlisle chuckled softly as he let his son go and ruffled his hair. "You're going to be alright. I have faith that you'll come around to understand once you get the chance to think things through. You're smart, Jasper, but it would appear that we still have some work to do on that stubborn streak."

The doctor's pager began to buzz silently. Pulling it out of his pocket, Carlisle quickly checked the message then cleared the small screen. "They need me in Trauma and you need to get home. Now go on and get out of here. I'll see you at the house in a little while." Placing his hand on Jasper's shoulder he steered the boy towards the door and followed him out into the hall.

"Oh, and Jasper." Carlisle spoke low enough that only his son could hear. "Go directly to the car and home. No detours this time. If I catch you in Amanda's room again that ride back to the house is going to be very distressing for your backside. I would never spank you here, but a short walk off the property to somewhere a bit more private is not out of the question."

He tilted his head as his brow rose in a questioning manner that was satisfied by a nod from his son.

Stepping away from his father, Jasper hung his head as he wandered down the hall towards the ER door and out of the hospital to make his way home.

* * *

As he pulled the black Mercedes into the garage, Jasper was greeted by the sight of his mate bouncing on her toes in the doorway. A smile played on his lips as he thought about how lucky he was to have Alice in his life. She was his personal little ball of sunshine, always ready to chase the gloom of the day away.

Stepping out of the car, Jasper had just enough time to pocket the keys before he was tackled by his sweet love.

"Jazzy, are you alright? What happened? My visions were all over the place, but I know Daddy is not happy." Alice flung her arms around her mate's neck as she stood on her tip toes to greet him with a kiss. "What's going on?"

The solider wrapped his arms around her and hugged Alice tight. "I was kinda hopin' that you could help me with that, sugar. There is a little girl at the hospital who ended up in a spot of trouble. I think her papa has been way too rough on her, but Carlisle clipped my wings before I could find out the truth."

Alice leaned back without releasing her hold on Jasper and gave him a quizzical look. "Why would Daddy be angry about that?"

"He thinks that I'm going to go overboard and cause trouble. Sweetness, I swear to you, all I want to do is find out the truth so I can help this little girl. I was hoping that you might be able to pick up something from her. I need to know if her dad is going to hurt her again so I can put a stop to that."

Alice slipped out of his arms and shook her head. "I don't pick up on humans as well, Jazzy, and you know that my gift is far from infallible. Besides, if Daddy doesn't want you getting involved I think it would be better to listen to him. We have all been in enough trouble lately, don't you think?"

"She is just a little girl though; a little girl who can't protect herself. Papa thinks that the system will protect her, but we all know how well that works. She needs someone who is really able to look out for her. She needs me, Alice."

"No, Jazz, she needs her parents. It's their job to look out for her. If there is some problem with them, I'm certain that Daddy will handle it."

Jasper groaned softly as Alice continued to refuse to see the logic that was in front of her. "He can't handle it; or he doesn't want to. Carlisle's hands are tied by the legal system, but mine aren't. Don't you see that I'm the only one who can act on her behalf?"

"Whose behalf are you acting on, Jasper?" Esme's gentle voice filled his ears as she stepped into the garage drawn to the agitated voice of her son.

"There's a child in trouble and Carlisle won't do anything to help her so I'm going to intervene on her behalf. She is being abused. She desperately needs help, momma. I can't just stand by and watch her get thrown back into an abusive household." Jasper raked his fingers through his honey blonde hair as his eyes flashed angrily. "I refuse to see a woman or child abused. No creature deserves to have to live with that sort of pain and fear. I simply can't allow it."

"Jasper, no one is asking you to remain silent in the face of abuse." Esme ran her hands slowly up and down his arm trying to calm her son while Alice took her mate's hand. "But you do need to calm down, because what you are saying doesn't make sense. Why isn't Carlisle doing something to help? That's not like him at all."

"He says that he doesn't have enough proof, but it's plain as day. This little girl was burned. I could feel how nervous she was when I asked her what happened. She claimed it was an accident, but I know that it wasn't. The mother is scared, too." The expression in his eyes implored his mother to believe and support him. "Even if it was an accident, a highly suspicious one but possible, her parents are at the very least guilty of child endangerment. You don't allow a little one to mess around boiling grease. That makes no sense. People like that don't deserve to have a child."

"Shh. I'll help you help this little girl, Jazz, but I need you to try to calm down right now. Let me deal with Carlisle and get to the bottom of this. Alright? We'll help her, Jasper. I promise you that you and I will help her, together." Esme turned her attention to her daughter. "Alice baby, why don't you take Jasper upstairs to your room while I go find your father?"

"He's not here. He needs you to go back and pick him up at the hospital. I've been sent home like some naughty school boy and now I am to sit in my room in time out so I can think about what I've done." Jasper's head drooped in shame.

Alice brushed Jasper's hair back as she shushed him gently. "From what I saw you needed to come home. Daddy just wanted you to have some time to decompress, Jazzy. You both seemed angry and needed a breather. I'm sure things will seem better after you've had a bit of peace and quiet. You can tell me everything that happened and maybe we can think of a way to help your new little friend while we wait for Daddy to come home. Okay?"

Jasper passed the car keys to Esme as he sighed deeply and let Alice lead him by the hand into the house. He really didn't feel like talking anymore with his parents or Alice. What's done was done. He would have to face the consequences for his actions and attitude, regardless of what he might say to try to defend his point of view. He also knew that nothing Carlisle could say or do to him would change his mind about helping Amanda. That little girl was too precious for him to ignore. She was so small, so fragile. She reminded him so much of Alice and he would protect her no matter what the cost.

* * *

**AN: **Hard headed boy that Carlisle has there and I am afraid that Daddy's patience may be truly nearing its end. Things are going to be heating up for poor Jasper very soon, though I have to admit that I tend to feel bad for Carlisle. Jasper does bring this on himself. I have tried to reign him in, but he has his own ideas. Let's see how those work for him in the end.

Thanks for all the comments and adds, guys. Wonderful as always! Thanks to Splinter for her mad beta skills.


	4. Feminine Persuasion

"Esme, it's not like that at all." Carlisle rubbed his temple with the heel of his hand as he leaned back into the seat, suddenly quite happy that his wife had decided to retain control of the steering wheel, sparing him the added frustration of having to contend with downtown traffic. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath then slowly released it, enjoying how that simple act helped relax his body. "We don't have any details apart from what both the patient and her mother have shared. There have been no claims or proof of any occurrence of abuse.

As I have already told Jasper, yes, I do have suspicion and that was enough for me to get CPS involved. I could have released the child yesterday, but I'm holding her at the hospital until I get word back from the preliminary investigation. Legally, that is all I can do."

Esme sighed softly as she kept her focus on the road while slowly weaving her way out of the main flow of traffic to make their way out of town. "But Carlisle, Jasper is so certain that this little girl is suffering. He is picking things up through his gift that are more accurate than any social worker interview could hope to be. I think you really should listen to him."

Carlisle opened his eyes and glanced over at his mate.

"I have been listening to him. He raised his voice to me in the corridor and had a few very choice words to share. I had no choice but to listen."

Carlisle sighed heavily as his frustration with the entire situation escalated. "Sweetheart, he can't be certain of anything. He is going off of gut instinct. While I will not deny that often has merit, this is not one of those times. I have never seen Jasper act the way he has been today. He has never shown such interest in the affairs of a human before, nor has he ever been as defiant and argumentative with me."

The patriarch's voice softened as he continued. "I fear for the safety of this young girl's father if I can't find a way to get through to Jasper. I'm at my wits end, Esme. I don't know what to do with him to break through his bullheadedness. If he acts against this man that could lead to a great deal of trouble for our family. It's one thing to have a moment of weakness; to kill for subsidence. It's another to kill a human out of some vigilante style of vengeance and spite."

Esme sighed softly. "It has happened before and you allowed it without recourse."

"That was different." He glanced away as he became uncomfortable with the turn in the conversation. "Those men ended her life. They caused physical and psychological damage directly to a gentle caring soul and completely destroyed her. I didn't feel right about trying to stop her and hoped that the firsthand knowledge that they had paid for their crimes would allow the healing process to begin."

"You don't think that knowing that this little child is being harmed physically and psychologically does damage to your son?"

Carlisle's head dropped into his hand and his shoulders sagged slightly. "Esme, please, for the last time, Jasper assumes, he does not know that the child is being abused. Her injuries are suspicious, but her behavior is not what one would normally attribute to a victim of abuse."

"She is scared."

"Well, of course she is scared, my love. She's in pain and having to stay in a strange place where she is poked and prodded by individuals she doesn't know. That is frightening for anyone. We try to make a patient's stay as pleasant as possible, but Forks Community is not exactly a country club or day spa."

"And the mother? Why does Jasper say that she is frightened as well? No one is poking or prodding at her."

"I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't have an answer to that. Maybe she is just scared for her child."

"Or maybe she is scared of her husband." Her voice quavered before she brought her emotions back under control. "Maybe she is afraid that having to take her daughter to the hospital is going to expose what is going on and then she will lose her little girl. She could be under stress from trying to protect her family from internal and external sources."

Carlisle sighed as he lifted his head and ran his hand through his hair. "Yes, Esme. She could very well be scared of her husband or frightened of losing her child, but my explanation is just as valid. This discussion then comes full circle, doesn't it? It returns to the fact that we don't know what is going on with this family and we need to wait and find out before any action can be taken." He leaned against the window and crossed his arms as he focused on his wife. "The system has flaws, Honey. I would never deny that, but it I also know that it does work. I have worked closely with these people. I know them and I know that they are very well qualified and respected in their field. They will uncover the truth. If the child needs to be rescued, they are the ones to do it; not us."

The finality in his tone caused his mate to grow silent. Carlisle closed his eyes and listened to her quiet shallow breathing as the car turned down the winding road that led back through the trees towards their forest home. He had managed to dishearten her and was well aware of that fact. Regret began to gnaw at Carlisle until he finally spoke softly, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to come across as dismissive or short with you. It's been a long day, but I should not be taking it out on you. Forgive me?"

"Of course, Carlisle," she responded in a melancholy tone. "I only want to help. I wish there was something that I could do."

"Love, you do more than you can imagine and I promise you that I will do all that I can to make sure that my little patient's case is carefully evaluated. You and Jasper can both rest assured that she will be kept safe."

She nodded as the house came into view. "Jasper is obviously still very much upset."

"I can't say that surprises me." Carlisle groaned quietly at the thought of having to try to reason with his boy, yet again. "I will admit that I am very disappointed with him feeling the need to drag you into this; another behavior that is out of character for the boy. I don't like these games of pitting one parent against the other and I don't feel that I should have to put up with it."

Esme pulled the car into the garage and, turning towards her husband, placed her hand lightly on his forearm. "Carlisle, I don't believe that's what he was trying to do. Please don't make it a factor in any sort of discipline you have in mind. He feels that his accusations are completely justified and all he was doing was telling me about the issue that had him upset. If anything, it was my fault for asking him about it. He was just answering my question as truthfully as he knew how."

Resting his hand on top of hers, Carlisle looked into his mate's worried eyes. "That may not have been his intent, Sweetheart, but he knew how you would react. I am not inclined to think that he was completely unaware of his choice of words."

"Maybe not, but please, Love. He has already been through enough."

Gently he reached over and cupped her cheek in his palm while his thumb brushed lightly across her lips. The pleading expression on her face caused him to nod in agreement. "We all have, my dearest heart." He sighed softly then leaned over to kiss her before drawing away. "I was only planning on talking with him anyway. I have confidence that he will have come to his senses now that he is out of the influence of the hospital's emotional pandemonium. I knew that it would be hard on him, but I hadn't planned on it affecting his personality to this extent. I am the one to blame for that miscalculation, therefore don't feel that I can hold him responsible for the majority of his disobedience."

Esme's body language softened and she sighed in relief.

"But, that doesn't mean that I'm not going to bring his behavior to his attention. We have two more days of working together and I don't want to have a repeat of this asininity. It is my hope that a stern reprimand will have him keeping himself in check from now on."

Her slight nod assured him that they were once again in agreement. Safe in that knowledge he breathed a little easier as he opened his door and stepped out of the car. Swiftly going around to the driver's side, he opened the door for his mate and helped her out, then wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Giving her a little squeeze, he kissed the top of her head and smiled. "The children are lucky to have you in their corner."

"I hope they feel the same way."

"I am certain that they do. They know that there is no mother more fiercely protective than theirs." He chuckled softly as they walked into the house.

"Hey, Mom. Hey, Pops." Emmett called out from the couch as he and Edward battled for supremacy on some distant planet. "You doin alright?"

"I'm fine, son. Did you both finish your chores?" Carlisle released his hold on Esme and flipped through the mail that lay on the table; grimacing when he saw the thickness of his credit card bill. _Alice, my baby, you are going to have to give the bank account a little break every once in a while._

"Sure enough did. Made sure everything was ship shape before we kicked back to have some fun. Oh, dude. You got served!"

Edward was no longer paying attention to the game. He had shifted his focus towards his parents as his brow furrowed with concern.

Carlisle looked up at Emmett's outburst to find his first born staring back giving the appearance that his son was getting ready to speak. The elder tilted his head slightly then spoke in a quiet yet firm tone. "This is none of your concern, Edward Anthony. When I require your input I shall request it verbally. Am I making myself clear?" _Edward, my thoughts are meant to be private affairs. I will not ask you to stay out of my head again. The next time there will be consequences that you will not find pleasant._

"Yes, dad. I understand. I just thought..."

"Don't." He raised a brow in warning then sighed inwardly in relief as his boy turned back to his game.

"Carlisle, maybe you should go for a hunt before you do anything else. You seem quite a bit tense, my Darling." Esme placed her hands on his shoulders and massaged the hard knotted muscles briefly, causing her mate to moan as he closed his eyes while savoring her touch. "Or I could take you upstairs, warm up some oil and just ease all that tension out myself."

A quiet groan from the couch caused Carlisle's eyes to open as he glared at his first born. "Edward Anthony Mason Cullen, do you and I need to go take a walk out by the river?"

Emmett whistled low at the threat even though his eyes stayed glued to the action on the screen. "Busted! Dude, you are so in for it."

"Emmett!"

"Shutting up right now, Pops. You don't have to tell me twice."

"I didn't do anything, Dad." Edward elbowed his burly brother hard in the side. "Mom's words just set me on edge. I'm sorry that I upset you, but it's really not my fault. I wasn't snooping. I swear it."

Carlisle's frustrated growl rumbled in his chest as he glowered at his son before he finally released a held breath. "I think I will go on a short hunt. I just need to change my clothes." He kissed Esme quickly on the cheek. "Care to join me?"

"I would love to, Darling, but I have some things that I need to take care of."

He nodded before heading upstairs.

In no time at all, Carlisle was back in the living room dressed in sweats and looking much more relaxed. He placed a hand lightly on Edward's shoulder. "I'm sorry that I lost my temper, Son. My only excuse is that it has been a trying day and my nerves have worn a little thin."

"It's alright, Dad, really. I understand. It's not like I haven't given you more than enough reason to expect me to be fumbling around in your or mom's head. It's fine. Go on and give that deer herd hell." He gave his father a half smile that caused the elder Cullen to chuckle softly.

The patriarch patted his boy fondly before stepping away. "And you do the same to your opponent."

"Hey, that is so not cool. You aren't supposed to pick favorites, Pops. Next time it's going to be you and me, old man. Let's see how you hang in the virtual world."

Carlisle smirked. "It's a date, Em, but this 'old man' just might surprise you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. That will be the day." He waved his hand dismissively towards his father while becoming absorbed in the ongoing battle against his brother.

Esme slipped her arms around her husband's waist. "You sound better. Who would have thought a change of clothes could improve an entire outlook."

His soft laughter warmed her heart.

"Are you sure that you don't want to join me? I promise not to bite your head off if that was your worry."

"As if." She let go and slapped him lightly on the arm before turning him around to face her. "I just think that a little time alone will help clear your head." Raking her hand through his hair, she pulled his head down towards her and kissed him deeply before aiming her mate towards the door and giving him a light swat on the rear. "Now get on out of here. The deer won't wait on you."

"Kinky."

"Emmett."

"I didn't say that was a bad thing. Just an observation, Momma. It's all good." He grinned happily as the sounds of gun fire rang out from the television.

She shook her head as Carlisle growled softly before disappearing out the door.

* * *

Jasper laid on the bed with his head resting in his wife's lap while she gently stroked his hair and purred softly, trying to help calm him. He was surprised to find that the sound of his father's footsteps in the hallway had caused him to become extremely nervous. For possibly the first time since joining the Cullen Clan, Jasper would be tempted to say he felt frightened of his coven leader; a completely disturbing turn of events.

"What's wrong, Jazzy?"

"I don't know, Sweetie. This just seems all wrong and it has me jittery as a junebug."

A look of confusion came across his mate's sweet face. "What seems wrong?"

"Being in trouble when I really didn't do anything wrong. Carlisle is disappointed in me, which is a might hard to take, but he is also a bit angry. I'm not use to him actually being angry. Reminds me more of old times, you know?"

"Jazz, you know that Daddy is a fair man. Give him a chance to explain himself. I'm certain that the two of you will come to an understanding."

Jasper gazed up into her clear golden eyes and sighed. "I just don't understand why he is being so damn bull-headed with this. He knows that there is something wrong. He can see what's happening, but he is content to just ignore it. I don't get it at all, baby doll. I always thought that Carlisle was the fairest most caring man that I have ever met; now I'm not so sure about that."

Alice brushed a lock of hair out of her mate's eyes as she shot him a stern look. "Jasper Whitlock, you take that back this instant," she reprimanded softly. "Daddy is extremely giving and always more than fair. If he isn't interfering then I'm sure he must know something about the little girl's issue that we don't."

She sighed softly at her mate's dejected expression. "He is going to give you a chance to explain your side of everything that happened today, but you need to do the same for him and you really need to listen. Daddy isn't the only one being bull-headed; actually, Jazzy, you could give him a tip or two when it comes to being stubborn."

Jasper kept silent for several seconds before he glanced away in defeat while mumbling, "Still aint right."

Alice rolled her eyes at her mate's comment. "Jasper, Daddy is not going to punish you if you didn't do anything wrong."

"He's going to give me a lickin' and I know it."

"If that's true then it's only because you misbehaved and earned it."

"Did you see what happened? Do you think I... misbehaved?"

His slightly mocking tone caused Alice to cringe.

"Yes, Jazz, I did see what happened between the two of you. The way you spoke to Daddy does qualify as misbehaving. It was pretty rude. If you are being honest with yourself, you already know that."

He folded his arms over his chest and rolled slightly to his side turning his back on his mate.

"You also didn't do as Daddy asked. I'm not sure what else may have happened, but I did see those things. Didn't you expect at least a couple of swats when you were in his office?"

"Alice, you already know the answer to that."

"Well?" She put her hand on his shoulder and rolled him back towards her so she could see her lover's eyes.

With a huff he quietly spat out, "Yes, I expected a tanning. There. Happy? What does that prove?"

"It proves that you know you were in the wrong, because Daddy is fair and wouldn't punish you for no good reason."

His little pixie blinked at him then bent down to kiss his forehead as Jasper groaned.

"You win, baby. I concede. I was wrong and I'll do whatever you think is right, even if that means taking a whipping from one highly pissed off alpha vampire."

She giggled as she tilted her head and smiled at her mate. "Daddy isn't pissed off. He was mad, but he's over it now. Momma calmed him down and sent him off on a hunt. He'll be back…" Her eyes glazed over briefly before she grinned brightly. "He'll be back soon. He had a good hunt so he'll be feeling calmer which should work well for both of you."

"Well thank the good Lord that the deer didn't give him the slip or he would be growling like an old bear with a bellyache."

"Nope, Daddy took down a bull elk and a lynx which has him feeling 'fat and sassy'." She formed quotation marks in the air with her fingers as her musical laughter filled the room, drawing Jasper momentarily out of his gloom. "His thoughts seem to have something to do with being an old man." She snickered as she looked back to her mate. "It appears that Emmett called him old, but Momma feels that he is anything but." She gave her husband a little wink as more giggles erupted from the pixyish girl.

"Leave it to Emmett," Jasper sighed as he rolled his eyes thinking how disastrous his brother's input could have been. "You know, between you girls and Emmett, y'all are going to be the death of Papa and me."

"Hey, Mister. You're lucky we care enough to keep you in line or you would probably do something stupid that you'd come to regret." Alice rebuked gently before kissing her husband passionately then nipped at his lip before pulling away. "Of course, Emmy is an entirely different subject."

"That he is, baby girl. There is no doubt about that."

Jasper reached up to brush his fingers along his mate's cheek. "You know, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Not something you ever have to worry about, Jazzy. I would never willingly leave your side. Took you long enough to find me and there is no way I am ever going to let you get away."

* * *

**AN: **The girls had to help their men get a grip, but at least now both Carlisle and Jasper should be better able to handle the coming talk. You know, I didn't plan on being able to have any humor in this one seeing as there would be no Emmett, but the bruin weaseled his way in.

Thanks to Splinter for putting up with me...even when I'm writing at 1 AM. Thanks of all the comments, likes, adds, pms , etc. Y'all are super...but y'all already knew that. ;-)


	5. Knightly Virtues

The hunt was just what the doctor needed. With his thirst sated, Carlisle felt much more relaxed and in control as he walked back towards the house. With a sigh his thoughts ran over the issues of the day. Perhaps he had over reacted a bit to his son's stubbornness; after all Jasper was only trying to take care of his patient. Isn't that what a medical professional was supposed to do? The solider boy's acts of disobedience had really not been that terrible. Carlisle reasoned that his irritation stemmed more from the very fact that Jasper would disobey him at all instead of rising from the actual act itself.

Carlisle stopped near the river to allow the silence of the gently flowing water to reinforce the calmness of his spirit.

What would be the best way to handle the situation? He was within his right as leader and father to his brood to punish Jasper's disrespect, but would that be the best option? Was that what his son needed or would that be what his own hurt pride required? Focusing on the reflection of the multi-hued evening sky in the rippling water, Carlisle answered his own question with a shake of his head.

Jasper didn't understand why his actions in regards to wanting to protect that little girl were wrong. If he didn't understand, punishing would do little good in resolving that matter. Carlisle felt certain that had his son realized how offensive his behavior had come across he would never had acted like that. Jasper was by nature a very well behaved young man who drew upon his military training when it came to submitting to authority and following orders. It would take a great deal of emotional turmoil to create the cognitive dissonance needed to force him to go against those strongly held values.

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose; staving off the frustration he was suddenly feeling toward himself for not at least trying to be more understanding. He knew that Jasper had his own form of chivalric code that he would not dishonor and it appeared that the protection of this young girl fell under its sway. It was actually rather curious to find that protection of those who couldn't protect themselves took precedence over the part of his code that demanded that he obey those who held authority over him. _My God, I can only imagine the strain that boy went though from having to decide which of those demands to follow. Not being able to satisfy both must have been a blow to his honor._ Carlisle sighed heavily. "The Major would have been a fine Knight in another age and place."

Running his hands through his hair and interlocking his fingers behind his head, the patriarch thought for a few more moments in silence, before saying a little prayer requesting for God to grant him the wisdom to do right by his son. Stretching slightly, he turned away from the tranquil river and wound his way through the trees until he stood at the edge of his yard. Glancing up towards the second floor windows, he swallowed back the lump that formed in his throat.

What if Jasper wouldn't listen? What would the patriarch do if he couldn't get through to his boy with reason? How far was he willing to go?

The established rules came with consequences that all of the family members were well aware of. Carlisle was free to alter or even completely rescind them at will, but Jasper had a habit of holding to the letter of the law instead of the spirit in which it was set down. There had been too many times in the past that Jasper had forced his father's hand when it came to matters of discipline and how a misdeed was punished. Inhaling deeply, Carlisle made a promise to himself that would not be the case this time. His plan was firmly set in his mind and he would be damned if he would allow his son to change his course.

With one last deep breath, Carlisle made his way across the yard and up the porch steps, to have a little man to man chat with his errant chivalrous solider boy.

* * *

Jasper felt his stomach lurch as the knock that he had been expecting all evening finally came. He did his best to hold the icy fear at bay while his sweet Alice squeezed his hand and gave him an encouraging smile. The brightness in her eyes told him that everything was going to be alright, but that still couldn't put a stop to the nervousness that gripped him so firmly.

"Come on in, Papa," he softly called out as he lowered his gaze to focus on his mate's dainty hand that rested lightly in his. Alice wasn't worried. If he was at any risk from his father's anger, his beloved mate would already have known and would have at least tried to get him to leave for safety's sake, wouldn't she? She was as protective of him as he was of her, and he knew that there was no way he would allow her to face danger, so by that token he must be safe. _So why don't I feel safe? Why do I feel like I'm getting ready to take the plunge into Hell?_

"It's okay, Jazzy." She kissed her mate before getting to her feet. "Deep breaths. It's only Daddy and you know he loves you too much to let anything really bad happen to you." She let her fingers caress his palm as she slowly drew away from him, until only their fingertips touched before their hands finally parted as Carlisle entered the room.

"Alice, would you mind leaving us alone for a little while, please?" Carlisle asked quietly as he glanced at his daughter before his gaze fell steadily on his son. Jasper sat on the edge of his bed with his head bowed as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together, refusing to meet his father's eyes.

"I was just leaving, Daddy." The little pixie bounced on her toes as she reached up and gave her father a hug before taking a step back to look into his face. The stress of the day shown just as clearly on Carlisle as it did on her mate causing Alice to sigh nearly silently. "I know that you really won't be too hard on each other, but try to be patient with him. Jazzy has had a rough day too, Daddy, and he's a bit confused."

Carlisle smirked slightly as he brushed his daughter's hair out of her eyes. "That makes two of us, Princess, but I will try to be as patient as I can. That was the plan anyway. I promise I won't lose my temper. That wouldn't do any of us any good at all."

Alice smiled then kissed her father's cheek before skipping out of the room and pulling the door closed behind her.

Carlisle crossed his arms and studied his son in silence for a few moments. The patriarch felt an odd void of emotions in the room even though it was readily apparent through body language that Jasper was agitated. A little worried that the boy felt the need to block his feelings so thoroughly, Carlisle released his held breath while mentally reaffirming his planned course of action.

As he reached for the desk chair and pulled it towards the bed, Carlisle found himself startled when Jasper jumped to his feet. _Please don't run, son. Not tonight._

The elder's fears were quickly put to rest as the solider squared his shoulders and fearlessly met his father's dark topaz eyes. Without saying a word or breaking eye contact, he smoothly unbuckled his belt and freed it from the loops of his jeans. Folding the leather strap in half, Jasper took an easy breath before presenting the tails to his father with the complete formality of submission.

Carlisle accepted his son's offering without a word then motioned towards the bed.

"Please, retake your seat, Jasper."

"Sir, with all due respect, I am aware of what was wrong with my behavior. I'll take my punishment without further incident and would like to get through it as quickly as possible. I see no need to prolong this… situation any further."

Clearing his throat, Carlisle crossed his arms, allowing the folded belt to fall over his elbow. "You presume a great deal, Major." Narrowing his eyes, the patriarch growled his words extremely softly. "As your superior, I am telling you to sit down…now."

Jasper hesitated for a moment longer before deciding that rebellion was not his best option. Sitting on the very edge of his mattress, the soldier's stance remained rigid as he stared past his father.

With a shake of his head, Carlisle settled into the chair and allowed his body to relax as he released the belt to drape over his thigh. While not physically tired, he felt the weight of the day draining his spirit and knew his son had to be feeling the same.

"Jasper, I would like to start out by apologizing for not fully listening to your concerns. I heard them, but you were correct in assuming that I didn't really understand where the problem lay. With that said, I don't feel that you fulfilled your job of listening to what I had to say either.

Before I walk out of this room we will come to some sort of agreement. We will be working together for two more days, working on this case together, and I can't have a repeat of today."

Jasper still stared off into space while sitting statue still, but quietly responded. "That isn't a concern, Sir. I admit that I forgot my place and it will not happen again." Slowly his gaze drifted until he found his father's eyes and spoke with sincerity. "I am you underling, Sir. I had no right to question you or attempt to undermine your authority. I was under direct orders and must be held accountable for my noncompliance. It is as much your duty to return me to my rightful place as it is mine to accept punishment when it is justified; which it is."

Carlisle rubbed his temple as a groan formed in his throat. "Son, I am disappointed in your behavior, but now that I have had time to think things through, I don't feel that you were undermining my authority; not intentionally anyway."

"I disagree. I was disobedient, rude and disrespectful."

"Agreed, and under normal circumstances you would be swiftly punished, but there was nothing normal about today." With a sigh, Carlisle picked up the belt and handed it back to his son. "Take this, Jasper. I won't be needing it tonight. What I do need, however, is your attention. I want you to listen to me without interrupting. Once I am through, I will give you the same opportunity to speak as I'm asking for from you."

Jasper gave a short nod as he watched his father rise to his feet and begin to slowly pace the floor.

"Jasper, you made me very proud today. You showed a great deal of restraint in the hospital setting and managed to help me provide my patients with optimal care. One of the nurses even gave me a compliment about you and your mannerisms with the patients. I think that it is important for you to know that."

Carlisle stopped by the window and gazed out towards the forest.

"When you and I ran into this issue surrounding Amanda Hayford, I did not take the time that I needed to take to help you understand what was going on. It is apparent that I didn't make myself very clear as to why I was concerned by your reaction, nor did I try to understand where that reaction was coming from. That was my failing, son."

Turning, Carlisle leaned against the window frame as he watched his boy sitting on the bed quietly, giving him his complete attention.

"Jasper, I know that you function on a moral code that can be quite different from your siblings and it occurred to me that I was ignoring that fact. By doing so, I put you in a very difficult situation. I have never seen you react to a human like you did today. I understand that you see her as defenseless and that sparks a need in you to protect this little girl, but I wasn't prepared for just how strong this desire would be.

It is a very noble quality, Jazz and not something that I would ask you to change, but for the safety of everyone, you must be careful not to overreact. This is my main concern. If you take matters into your own hands, you could put that little girl in more danger and depending on how badly things go, you jeopardize the safety of this family."

Taking a deep breath, Carlisle looked his boy in the eye.

"I know that I ask a lot of you, Jasper, but right now I need you to do your best to listen and understand. So far, we have no definitive proof that any abuse has taken place. Amanda has made no complaints to this end and her behavior really is not indicative of someone suffering abuse. The only evidence that we have is an injury that could have been caused by abuse, but just as easily could be the result of a careless accident on the patient's part. I want you to think for just a minute, and then tell me if there is any injury that comes to mind that could not be the product of abuse?"

Jasper glanced off to the side as his mind wandered before he reluctantly shook his head.

"That's right. Any individual who presents themselves at the hospital with any injury at all is a potential victim of abuse, but that isn't the case in the majority. Human beings are fragile. They have a nasty habit of getting into situations that cause harm to themselves and others, accidentally.

There is an old adage in medicine that states, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras. I do keep the zebra in the back of my mind but you have to go with the most logical explanation first. You, my boy, were ready to go on a zebra hunt while completely ignoring the pony looking you in the eye."

Jasper sighed and averted his eyes while shifting uncomfortably, but Carlisle walked over to him and crouched down to bring himself at eye level with his son.

"You also need to keep in mind that should it really be a zebra that you are after, moving aggressively will cause it to go so deeply into hiding that you may never be able to catch it. It makes the job that much more difficult for those trained at wrangling these beasts. I know that it's a strange analogy, but does that make a little bit of sense at least?"

Exhaling softly, Jasper nodded before barely whispering, "Yes, Sir."

"Good," he patted the boy's leg lightly before standing back up and heaving a sigh.

"I don't want to have to ban you from visiting Amanda, but I will if you force me to. I know that she will be looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Keeping a patient in good spirits does wonders to speed their recovery and you, Major Whitlock, are the best medicine for that little girl. Be that as it may, I won't have you interrogating her, nor will I have you getting yourself worked up and becoming a threat to her family or yours. Are we finally clear on this? The decision to allow for you to visit with this patient will be based on your behavior and if you can honestly tell me that you will control yourself. Can you do that, Jasper?"

"Yes, Sir."

Carlisle cocked his brow as he studied his son before deciding that Jasper was being truthful; at least he would try to behave. The elder relaxed visibly then reached out and patted his boy on the shoulder before finally returning to his chair.

"Alright, Son, the floor is all yours." Carlisle leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs while he rested his hands in his lap. Giving his son his full attention, the elder showed Jasper the same respect that his boy had given him. Wide dark amber eyes stared up at Carlisle as a tremor of uneasiness lapped at the edges of his emotions. "It's alright, Son. If you feel that I'm wrong, tell me. I'm not going to be angry, if that is your concern."

Jasper swallowed hard before sighing softly. "I've already made you angry."

"Yes, you did, but I was more disappointed than angry. I am not accustomed to defiance from you, Jasper. That hurt and confused me. At the time, I didn't stop to try to understand where that behavior came from. Once I had some time to mull it over, I realized that we were both at fault. I am no longer upset and I would still like to hear your perspective."

Jasper shook his head. "I don't think there is anything to my perspective that you aren't already aware of. I was out of line, Carlisle. I let my emotions get the best of me and I wasn't going to listen to anyone, not even you.

When we first got home and you sent me to my room, I was upset. I knew that I was out of line with the way that I spoke to you, but felt that was minor. I didn't see where there was anything else wrong with my behavior, and to a certain extent, I still feel that way.

Even if no one has out right abused that little girl, they were neglectful of her safety. She should not have been allowed to play around something dangerous that could cause that much damage. No matter how her injuries occurred, her parents, her father, is a criminal in my eyes. He should be made to pay for allowing his daughter to suffer like that."

Jasper could feel his anger beginning to rise again.

"I'm sorry that I don't have your patience for that sort of shit. I'm just not as forgiving, Papa. Call it a flaw in me, but I just don't think I can change it." The boy closed his eyes for a moment and breathed slowly to steady himself before looking back at his father and continuing with quiet conviction. "What I can change is how I act and that is what I'll try my best to do. I won't bother Amanda with questions and I'll keep my thoughts to myself. I hope your social workers are as good as you claim, Papa because I'm going to take a step back and hope that your faith isn't misplaced. I can only pray that nothing else happens to that little girl. I will control myself the best that I can, but my strength has its limits."

Carlisle dipped his head acknowledging his son's words. "They do excellent work, Jasper, but I can understand your frustration as well as your limitations."

"Papa, she reminds me of Alice. She makes me think back to what my sweet mate must have endured in that hospital. I thank God that she can't remember it. I just can't stand the idea of this little one suffering needlessly." He swallowed hard as his carefully controlled grip on his emotions began to falter.

Getting up, Carlisle quickly joined his boy on the bed and put his arm around Jasper's shoulder. "I know, Jazz. I don't want to see her harmed any more than you do. It is frustrating. Trust me; I do know what you are going through. I had to learn how to let the professionals handle it. The reason why I follow the protocols is because I have seen them succeed, but more importantly it's because I won't put you and Alice or any other member of my family in harm's way."

Tilting Jasper's face up, Carlisle drew a breath. "If you or I were to act on our gut feelings and kill the individual that we deem responsible, there would be public outcry to find the murderer. At best we would most likely have to move and give up what we have here before that should be necessary." His voice became softer. "Worse case, the Coven would be broken up by Volturi decree and it is possible that the offender would be put to death. This is a risk that we accept when we decide to live with humans. Our activities come under much greater scrutiny. We cannot afford to draw attention to ourselves."

"I know, Papa." Jasper dropped his head and shuddered when he thought about what he stood to lose. "I'm sorry."

Carlisle tightened his hold on his son as he pulled him into a reassuring hug. "We all make mistakes. All I ask is that you don't continue to make the same ones."

Jasper nodded. "No promises there, except to say that I'll try."

"I'll accept that, Son." Carlisle gave him a smile before releasing the boy and giving him a slap on the back. Getting up and moving the chair back in place, the patriarch leaned on the desk with his arms crossed. "Tomorrow will be better. I should have expected the first day to be a bit bumpy, but now that we're on the same page it should be smooth sailing from here on out. I'll send Alice back up, though I believe that your brother could use a new opponent since Edward appeared to be getting a little annoyed with Emmett when last I saw them." He gave Jasper a wink as he moved towards the door.

"Umm, Papa?"

Carlisle stopped and glanced back over his shoulder.

"I'm… well… aren't I in trouble? Don't my actions require some form of punishment?"

His father was silent for a few breaths then rubbed the back of his neck before speaking quietly. "No, Jasper. Mistakes happened on both sides. I trust that you will continue to be a man of your word and not give me a reason to regret this, but I don't see any reason to reprimand you further.

I hope to see you downstairs soon, but if you prefer to relax up here with Alice, I'll completely understand." With that Carlisle slipped out of the room and closed the door, leaving a very confused soldier in his wake.

* * *

**AN:** Sorry for the delay in the update. I've been busy with my other stories, but with one of those wrapping up shortly I should be spending more time on this one.

Carlisle just didn't have the heart to punish Jasper. He wasn't impressed with his son's behavior, for sure, however Daddy vamp is always fair. If he feels that he is partly to blame for the blow up he just has to let it slide. The problem with letting disobedience go unanswered is that you set the stage to possibly be hit with worse behavior. Jazzy does have every intention on sticking to his word, but that "white knight" complex stands to derail him. ;-)

Thanks so much for the wonderful comments and support. You guys are the best.

As always, my eternal thanks to Splinter for hunting down my screw ups before I can post them and embarrass myself.


	6. Animosity

The silence in the car as Carlisle and Jasper drove to the hospital was deafening to the senior Cullen. When they left the house, he had attempted to make some small talk with his son, but the boy's uneasiness was clear even without his emotional projection. Carlisle began to get the feeling that he was just torturing Jasper more by trying to hold a conversation. In the end, much to Jasper's relief, his father had relented and settled for becoming lost in his own thoughts as they wound along the forest road towards town.

He had seriously considered having Jasper stay home this morning when the young man appeared distant, then reconsidered that hasty thought. He feared that his boy would regard such an act as the patriarch not having faith in him to live up to his word. Carlisle knew that Jasper's word was his bond and it would take something grievously serious for him to betray his promises; that was never in question. He had complete trust in his son's conviction, but there were just too many variables that couldn't be factored in; variables which could lead to dire circumstances.

As Carlisle had suspected following their chat, Jasper had remained subdued for the rest of the evening. The boy had tried to remain hidden in his room, but Alice had drawn him out and brought him downstairs in the hopes that interacting with the rest of the family would ease his mind.

Edward had tried to distract him with working out the plans for a weekend hunting trip out to the Alaskan tundra for just the three boys. Male bonding at its best, or so he had claimed. For his part, Emmett was thrilled with the prospect of hunting grizzly and polar bears. Rose and Alice had both attempted to dissuade the mighty hunter from targeting the later species siting diminishing populations, but Emmett had his mind set on taking on the largest land predator and refused to give in.

Previously, when Edward would bring up the hunting trip, Jasper had shown excitement at the idea of preying on the hardy stocky tundra wolves, but his enthusiasm had waned. To his father's dismay, the solider distanced himself from the conversation and became little more than a quiet observer.

Emmett's own attempts at diverting his brother's attention from his worries revolved around a new war game he had recently purchased. Since it focused on strategy, the bruin just knew that the Major wouldn't be able to resist. Alas, he was proven wrong. The young blonde had politely declined and more surprisingly, had not allowed his brother's taunts to change his mind. Even when his courage was brought into question, something that always got a rise out of the southerner, he still refused.

At the time, Carlisle felt certain that Jasper's feelings had simply been hurt from being reprimanded and come morning he would be back to his normal self. Carlisle was rarely wrong, but this was one of those rare times.

When Jasper trudged down the stairs to head to the hospital in the same quiet withdrawn state, his father began to become more concerned. The boy's lack of interest worried Carlisle. While they were all prone to bouts of depression for one reason or another, there were no drugs that could improve a vampire's emotional state as there were for humans. Worse, as far as the doctor was concerned, was the fact that he couldn't understand where this despondent behavior was coming from. Without that knowledge, Carlisle didn't have a clue of how to help his son.

As the hospital loomed into view, Carlisle broke his silence. "Son, did you want to skip work today? If you're not feeling up to dealing with the temptation and stresses, I can understand. While this is an element of your punishment, I don't want to cause you to actually suffer needlessly. I'm happy to call it off and send you home. I'm sure your mother would welcome your help."

Jasper drew a breath as he shook his head slightly. "No, Sir. I prefer to stay here, if it's all the same to you. You said that I help the patients feel better and I would like to keep doing that."

Carlisle pulled into his parking space then turned towards his son. "Jazz, if you're uncomfortable that is going to show in how you handle yourself. You are controlling your emotions, but your actions are saying that something is very wrong. Patients will pick up on that, Son and you know at least one of them is going to be worried about you."

"Nothing is wrong, Carlisle." The look on the doctor's face caused the boy to try to clarify his statement. "I do have a few things on my mind, but I'm just trying to maintain my focus, my control, that's all. Once we're going about the day, I'm sure that I won't seem any different than I did yesterday. No one will think that there is anything wrong, not even you." Jasper gave Carlisle a slight smile to try to pacify his troubled father. "Honestly, Papa, everything is fine and I plan on it staying that way."

Carlisle gave Jasper a critical look before returning his son's smile and ruffling his hair. "Alright, Jazz, then let's get this work day started. I'm sure that there is at least one young lady who can't wait to see you."

Father and son, quickly crossed the parking lot and entered the building only to be greeted by a distraught nurse.

"Oh thank the Lord you're here, Doctor Cullen."

"What is it, Gloria?" Carlisle placed his briefcase down and slipped into his lab coat as he gave his son a quick glance and noted the small nod he received in the way of response.

Jasper's focus fell upon the Head Nurse as he projected wave after wave of soothing calm her way. He ground his teeth when her anxiousness began to gnaw at the perimeter of his emotions, but soon his efforts yielded the desired effect.

Shaking her head and breathing more deeply, Gloria began to explain in a composed tone. "It's that Hayford man. He is here and demanding that we release that little girl. He is threatening to take her out against medical advice. We've been trying to talk sense into him, doctor, but it's like trying to talk a mule into tap dancing."

"No doubt you'd be more successful with the mule. I'm sure it would be a damn sight smarter." Jasper's tone dripped with disgust.

"Jasper," Carlisle admonished quietly, causing his son to lower his gaze. Satisfied with his son's quick response, the doctor returned his full attention to the nurse. "I take it that he is in Amanda's room?"

"Yes, doctor."

"Very well. Let's see if we can't defuse this situation."

"Do you want me to have security meet us there?"

"No, Gloria. I feel certain that we are more than capable of handling this. We have years of experience with this sort of thing, after all." He smiled and gave the nurse a slight wink as she shook her head.

"Pfft. Oh sure. All those years that you have on you, doctor. I'm sure you must have stories from preschool that would turn the rest of my hair gray." She laughed warmly as she slapped Carlisle lightly on the arm.

They had started down the corridor when Carlisle softly addressed his son. "Jasper, I think it would be prudent if you refrain from assisting me in this matter. While I am certain that you would be an asset in helping Amanda remain calm," he paused in his speech to give the younger man a pointed look. "I am afraid that her father's demeanor could have a negative effect on you.

I'm going to ask that you go wait for me in my office. As soon as this issue is resolved, I'll come get you and we'll start rounds." He handed his briefcase to his son as he briefly made eye contact to verify that his instructions were clear.

"Yesh, Sah."

Taking a breath, Carlisle stopped walking. "Gloria, would you please give me a moment with my son. I'll meet you at the patient's room in a few minutes."

"Of course, Doctor Cullen." Giving Jasper a comforting smile, the nurse turned away and continued down the hall.

Once she was out of view, Carlisle motioned for Jasper to follow him over to a waiting area off to the side of the main hallway. Sighing softly, he began, "Jazz, there is no reason for you to be nervous. Things like this happen. It is disruptive to everything and everyone, but we'll handle the situation. I don't want you to worry."

"Ah jest wanna halp, Papa. Ah know ah ken."

Carlisle placed his hand on Jasper's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I know, Son and you would be an amazing help. There is not a doubt in my mind about that. Even without your pathokinesis, your presence would help calm Amanda, but I won't put added stress on you.

Emotions are going to run high. I won't have you fighting with that. You have enough on your plate right now, besides, I need you to be in top form after this fiasco. I'm going to need your help with getting Amanda settled down when all is said and done. You are my ace, Jasper. It doesn't do to play all your cards at once."

"But, Papa..."

"Jasper, I need you to do this for me and need I remind you that just last night you promised to give this man a wide berth?" Carlisle cocked a brow as he studied his son. "I need you to go to my office and try to relax. Trust me to be able to handle this. I promise that I will come get you as soon as the dust settles. You have my word, Jazz, that is the best I can give."

Jasper swallowed his protest and nodded. "Yesh, Sah."

"Thank you, Son. Now we should both get going. I'll see you very shortly."

Giving his boy a pat on the shoulder, Carlisle turned on his heels and was gone in a blink to rescue Gloria from the wrath of Franklin Hayford.

The solider stood alone in the waiting area for a few minutes as he listened to the sound of his father's receding footsteps. He understood the elder's concerns, but he still knew in his heart that he could be useful to his little human friend as well as his father. Leaning back against the wall he brought Carlisle's briefcase up to his chest and hugged it in his arms like a protective shield as he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander.

What if Carlisle needed him? He would no doubt be able to hear him from the office, but being in a hospital full of humans the boy wouldn't be able to reach his destination very quickly. Maybe he could find a slightly closer spot from which he could better monitor the situation. _But Carlisle told you to wait in his office. You're already skating on thin ice with him. You would have to be a damn fool to disobey a direct order like that, ol' son. Was it a direct order though? Carlisle never said that it was. He said that he would like me to wait in his office. _

Jasper felt a surge of nervous energy flood his system that caused his chest to tighten as he continued to mentally debate with himself. In truth, he had already come to a decision, but was too shocked at his own willingness to disregard his father's wishes to allow himself to act just yet.

No amount of rationalizing was going to help him feel better about disobeying Carlisle, so Jasper's internal monologue finally ceased. He swallowed hard as he accepted what he was about to do and pushed off the wall.

First he would stop by his father's office to relieve himself of the burden of Carlisle's briefcase and then he would head over to Amanda's room. If he waited outside the door he might be able to manipulate the emotions of those within enough to help establish a level of calm that would allow his father to more easily convince the human that it was in his best interest to allow the hospital staff to continue to care for his daughter.

He knew that he would have to be extremely careful not to toy around with his father's emotions. Carlisle would know it the instant that he did and then the future would suddenly become very bleak for the southern boy.

_The future. That's it. Alice._ If he could get in touch with Alice, his mate should be able to give him a decent idea of how this plan would play out. He may not change his plan, but at least he would know what he was up against and just how much trouble he would find himself in.

Jasper dug in the pocket of his khaki slacks for his cell phone and then groaned when he came up empty handed. He mentally retraced his steps before groaning again a bit more loudly. He had forgotten his phone back at home on its charger. _STUPID! Well then you deserve to deal with the outcome of this crap just for your stupidity alone. _Jasper gave a slight snort as he thought about Alice. _If Carlisle doesn't kill you, sweet little Alice most certainly will. She is not going to be happy that she can't get in touch with you. Idiot._

Jasper rubbed his forehead as he made his way to his father's private office and let himself in.

Placing the case next to the desk, the boy inhaled deeply catching the stale scent of his father's essence. Perhaps it would be better to do as he was told and just wait until he was summoned. Certainly that would be much less stressful on both he and Carlisle, but what about Amanda?

Carelessly, the young blonde spun his father's chair like a top as he felt himself growing more conflicted and frustrated. _You really should just mind Carlisle. Right now you're acting like you know better than him and that is nothin' but a bunch of hogwash._

Jasper was just about to sit down and wait as he had been told to do when a vision of Amanda's clear blue eyes popped into his head. He couldn't bear the thought of her suffering at the hands of her father and knew that the safest place for her was right here. He had to do something to help. There was no way that the boy could just sit on the sideline and wait while his father went to bat for that sweet little girl.

"Damn it to hell! I'm sorry, Carlisle." With a shake of his head, the Major slipped back out of the office and locked the door behind him. The clack of the tumblers in the lock sealed his fate and he knew it. If Carlisle found out..._when Carlisle finds out he'll have my ass for this._ Jasper sighed heavily as he picked up his pace a bit while maneuvering through the corridors towards the little girl's room.

He was still a ways off, but could already hear the ruckus going on. His hackles rose as he noted the gruff voice that argued so vehemently against reason while his father managed to keep his tone soft and soothing.

"I'm telling you, she is my daughter and I say she isn't spending another night in this damn place. We can't afford it, for one thing and there is nothing that you are doing that her mother can't do herself. This is ridiculous. You people are doing nothing, but running up the bill that I'm responsible for. Now get the hell out of my way so I can take my daughter home."

"Mr. Hayford, I assure you that cost is not the factor here. I will happily waive or cover Amanda's fees myself if that will ease your mind. We really do need to keep her under observation a little while longer. If she keeps improving, I'll send her home in a day or two, but you can't just come in here and take her out like this.

She has an open wound that needs specialized treatment. I'm sure your wife would do her best, but she lacks the skills that the nursing staff has. Please be reasonable and give your daughter the best possible chance for complete recovery. That's why we are here. Let us do what we are trained to do."

The burly logger glared at Carlisle before reaching for his daughter's clothes and tossing them on the bed. "Get dressed, Mandy. We're getting out of here. I've had enough of this bullshit." He glanced at his wife as she attempted to hide in the corner. "Sara, go pull the car around."

"Mrs. Hayford, please think of your daughter. Don't you want her to have the best treatment? Don't do this." Carlisle shifted his gaze back towards the glowering father. "Mr. Hayford, if you are so concerned with the cost, please realize that should you remove your daughter from this facility against medical advice your insurance company is under no obligation to pay for services. You become solely responsible for the cost incurred," Carlisle stated matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"So sue me for the money. See how far that gets you," the big man spat. "I'm tired of your bullshit, doctor. I'm sure that it's you, or at least someone from here, who has been sending your abuse dogs after me. Oh, yeah, I know what they are up to. I've seen that scum lurking around asking questions at my work, trying to pin dirt on me. People talk. I know what you're up to."

Carlisle raised his head slightly as he returned the man's hard stare. "An innocent man has no reason to be concerned by harmless questions."

"And a coward hides behind other people. If you want to know something be a man and ask me yourself. I've got nothing to hide. I love my daughter and have never harmed a hair on her head. Ask her if you don't believe me. Go on. Ask her!" He shot a dark look at his wife. "Sara, go get the damn car!"

The woman scooted around Carlisle and flung open the door tripping over Jasper on her way out.

The young man caught her and held her until she was stable on her feet. Muttering a word of thanks she raced off towards the parking lot leaving him standing in the doorway in full view of his overwrought father.

Jasper heard Carlisle's exasperated sigh and glanced down at his feet moments after noting the tension and frustration in his father's face, however seconds later a cry from Amanda caused his head to snap up as anger flared in his eyes.

The man yanked his daughter from the hospital bed wrenching her injured arm in the process.

"Leave her alone," Jasper roared as he crossed the threshold and snarled aggressively at the ignorant human.

"Or what? What are you going to do?"

"Jasper." Carlisle's voice was soft, but his reprimanding tone could not be mistaken for anything else.

The boy glanced between the two men then closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed hard to clear the venom from his throat. When he opened his eyes, he turned away from his father and stared intently at Amanda's father.

"I'll show you what happens to men who harm women and little girls. You are going to listen to what the doctor has to say and let him treat your daughter or I'll put you in the adjoining room."

"Jasper Whitlock Hale!"

He flinched at the sharpness in Carlisle's voice, but the only response he offered was to turn a little further away as he clenched his fists, readying for a fight.

"Jazz, no. Please don't. I don't want to see you get hurt."

For the first time since he walked into the room, his dark eyes turned towards the little girl who cowered by the bed. Her ocean blue eyes were bright with tears as she silently continued to plead with him. Jasper ground his teeth. _You don't deserve her, you right bastard. How could you hurt something this innocent? I should tear you limb for limb for putting her through this!_

Hayford threw a punch, which Jasper easily dodged even without his enhanced vampire speed. _I should have let him hit me and broken his fucking hand._

Jasper reared back to land a punch of his own, but when he let it fly his fist collided with his father's palm instead of the sneering human's face. He felt Carlisle's arms swiftly wrap around his body and hold him tight causing him instinctively to fight against the restraining pressure. The harder he struggled the tighter his father's embrace became until Jasper found it nearly impossible to draw a breath.

"You will stop this foolishness this instant," Carlisle whispered furiously in the boy's ear. "You cannot begin to fathom the amount of trouble you have just gotten yourself into, Son. I want you to go to my office, calm yourself and wait for me." The patriarch felt his son attempt to struggle against him once again and snarled much too softly for human hearing, "Unless you want me to tan your hide in front of these people, you will do as I say."

Releasing his boy and shoving in the direction of the door Carlisle raised his voice back to his normal quiet tone. "Jasper, that's enough. Go to my office. We have far too much work to do for you to carry on like this."

Jasper bit his bottom lip as he glanced from his father, to the frightened little girl, to her father and back to meet Carlisle's nearly black eyes.

His head drooped suddenly as he muttered to the room in general, "I am sorry for my crude behavior." Quickly, he turned and ran off down the hall to the safety of his father's office, knowing full well that it wouldn't remain a safe haven for long.

Carlisle lowered his head and closed his eyes as he crossed his arms. Taking several deep breaths that he prayed would help calm himself enough to lighten his eyes, he spoke softly. "Gloria, would you please contact security and have Mr. Hayford escorted off the hospital grounds."

"Of course, Doctor."

He felt the nurse ghost pass him as he remained at his station, blocking the door. "Mr. Hayford, you are banned from this property for twenty four hours and Amanda will remain here at least overnight."

"Like hell!"

Carlisle turned his midnight black eyes on the dark haired bruiser of a man. "You threatened a member of the hospital staff. You should consider yourself lucky that I am not calling the police to have you taken into custody.

I am giving you twenty four hours to gain control over your volatile temper. Tomorrow you and I will sit down like responsible people and discuss your daughter's care, progress and when I feel she will be ready for release. If you don't agree with these terms feel free to discuss them with the local police. I'm certain that Chief Swan will be happy to hear you out, but bear in mind that a call from me to CPS about what happened in here just now will make your life much more miserable.

I am a reasonable man. I'm willing to work with you and your family anyway that I can, Mr. Hayford, but Amanda is my patient and I will see to her well being first and foremost."

Carlisle caught the scuffing of shoes in the hallway that alerted him to the presence of the security personnel.

Franklin Hayford's eyes narrowed as he regarded Carlisle with frustrated anger before he turned to his daughter. "Mandy, make sure your things are packed up tomorrow because I'm getting you out of here." He scooped his little girl up into his arms and gave her a hug before setting her gently down on the bed. He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her cheek. "Be a good girl and I'll see you tomorrow."

"I will, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you too, pumpkin."

The lumbering man gave his daughter's hand a last squeeze then glared at Carlisle before allowing himself to be led away.

Carlisle covered his face with his hands as he leaned against the door frame drawing deep cleansing breaths.

"What a day, Doctor Cullen and to think, it's just starting."

He drew his hands down his face and glanced at Gloria over his fingertips before allowing his hands to fall freely away. "I'm not sure that I have it in me to get through this day."

"Oh, sure you do. Can I get you something? Coffee, soft drink, Valium?"

Carlisle chuckled and the nurse smiled. "No, thank you, Gloria, but I'll be fine."

"Doctor Cullen?"

The small quiet voice drew both of the professionals' attention to the child sitting so very still on the bed.

"Yes, Amanda?" Carlisle walked over and situated her a little better in bed as he tried to soothe her and keep her calm.

"Is my daddy in trouble?"

"I don't believe so, sweetheart. Your daddy just needs a little time to think things over. He wants what's best for you and right now he is a little confused so it's hard for him to tell what the best thing is. I'm certain once he has a little time to calm down he'll be alright. He and I will talk tomorrow and try to get everything worked out so you can go home. Would you like that?"

"Yes, sir."

Carlisle smiled. "Well, I will work on that and I want you to work on getting some rest so you'll keep getting better."

She quickly nodded then cocked her head a bit to the side.

"Is there something else, honey?"

"Well…."

"Go ahead and ask. I won't always have an answer, but I will always try."

Amanda scrunched down in bed a little then met Carlisle's eyes. "Is Jazz going to be okay? I mean, he looked like he was in trouble."

"Ah, well he is in a bit of trouble. He didn't listen when I asked him to do something, but I don't want you to worry about him and I know that he doesn't want you to worry either." Carlisle touched his finger to the tip of her nose. "Jasper and I are going to have to come to an understanding before we can start our rounds, but he will be just fine, also. I'll make sure that he is with me when we come to see you a little later. That way, you can see for yourself that he is okay. How's that?"

"That's great, Doctor Cullen, because I don't want him to be in trouble. When I get into trouble I feel really bad. I don't want Jazz to feel bad."

"I'll be sure to pass that along, sweetheart. Now, you settle down and rest." Carlisle turned on the television and swiftly located a cartoon channel. "There you go; some mind numbing entertainment to lull you to sleep. Young lady, I will expect you to be well rested when Jasper and I stop by."

"Yes, Sir!" Amanda gave him a salute that caused him to chuckle as he turned off the overhead light and gathered Gloria, before slipping out the door and closing it quietly behind him.

Leaning against the wall he sighed deeply as a muscle in his jaw twitched from the action of clenching his teeth.

"He meant well. You know how boys are." Gloria placed her hand on his arm trying to be supportive and alleviate the doctor's tension.

"Unfortunately, I know only too well how boys are. It is amazing what my three can get into, but Jasper is generally the best behaved of the bunch. I just don't understand."

"Oh, please, it wasn't that long ago that you were a boy. I'm sure you got into your share of trouble. Use that as a point of reference. He's not a bad boy at all, Doctor Cullen. He was trying to defend that little girl. He was doing what he thought was right."

Carlisle sighed again and let his head fall slightly. "I know, but he can't do things like this. He knows better than to get into fights and he surely knows that this is neither the time nor place to try that sort of thing anyway."

"You just go have a talk with him and set him straight. He did what he thought was right and now you go do what you think is right. Explain to him why he was wrong and give him a few pointers on how he could have handled himself better. He's a good boy and he respects you. He'll listen. You'll see."

The doctor nodded. "You're right as usual, Gloria. What would I ever do without your wisdom?"

"Good thing you'll never have to worry with that." She laughed lightly.

"Would you please tell Doctor Preston that I have to take care of a couple of things? Jasper would probably find it easier to concentrate on my words outside of the hospital environment so I think he and I might take a bit of a walk. We shouldn't be very long. Tell Doctor Preston I'll pull her ER shift, if she gives you any trouble."

"Oh, don't you be offering things like that or you will never have another weekend off." She smiled. "I'll go tell her now and you go take care of your boy. Remember, he is a good boy who just got a little off his path so be easy on him."

"I will." He smirked as they parted ways and he headed towards his office.

_Well Gloria is right. Jasper has a very good soul and he did think his actions were justified or he wouldn't have disobeyed me, but I can't let this sort of thing continue__._ Carlisle shook his head sadly as he turned the handle on his office door. "Come on, Jasper. Let's go take a walk, Son."

* * *

**AN:** Just not sure about Jasper sometimes. *shakes head* His heart is so in the right place, but he just keeps digging himself into a hole. Now to see how I can get him out of it. Not looking very good right now.

Many thanks for all the feedback. You guys rock my world.

Special thanks to Splinter, who took her time out her battling to make sure everyone would be able to read this without having their eyes start to bleed. Isn't she just the most awesome thing ever?

To everyone out there in the path of Hurricane Sandy, y'all keep yourselves safe. Get to high ground and hunker down. Know that our thoughts and prayers are with y'all. *hugs to everyone*


	7. Regret

Jasper sat in the chair in his father's office with his head down in his hands as his elbows rested on his knees. He had done it this time. He had just proven that he was a threat to humans, even when he wasn't feeding off of them. Why hadn't he just listened to Carlisle in the first place? Why did he have to assign himself to the role of defender and stick his nose in where it didn't belong? If Carlisle hadn't stopped him, he would have caused real damage to that human right in front of his daughter. That would have been something that Jasper could never have forgiven himself for.

He could only imagine the effect that would have had on precious Amanda. The man certainly deserved it, but Jasper knew that he would have only caused that sweet little girl to suffer more, which was the last thing he ever wanted. In trying to protect her he would have scarred her for the rest of her life. Jasper silently thanked God for Carlisle's intervention. At least his father had managed to keep a level head through all of this even without the benefit of Jasper's emotional manipulation. The boy only wished that he could learn how to control his temper half as well as his father always seemed to manage to do.

_Oh, good God, how disappointed must Carlisle be in me right about now?_ He gave a little snort of humorless laughter. _Well no more disappointed than I am in myself. You're nothin' more than an out of controlled flamin' idiot, Whitlock. Is that really how you want the world to see you? How do you manage to live with yourself?_

Carlisle's threat still echoed in the boy's head. Would he have really gone through with it? Would he have spanked Jasper in front of God and everyone? The reasoning part of Jasper's brain told him that his father would never have gone that far and was just saying it to regain control, but another voice, the one that tended to keep him alive, told him that he did well not to push the issue. The patriarch wasn't one to bluff often and if you were fool enough to try to call him on it...well things could get really ugly really quickly.

Jasper stood up and began to pace. How would he have been able to face any of those people ever again if that had happened? Even though he knew that none of them had heard his father's threat, he had been horribly embarrassed just the same. Maybe that had been Carlisle's plan; embarrass him into behaving himself. If that was the case, it had most certainly worked. The young blonde lowered his head and groaned loudly.

He knew that he was in trouble deep and that there was unlikely to be any reprieve this time. He had done something that he had never done before; that he never should have done, ever. He had stood in his father's presence and utterly ignored his direction as well as the resulting rebuke.

Nervously, he swallowed hard as he ran a hand through his hair. _Guess you accept that family dynamic now, don't ya? Consider yourself damn lucky that Carlisle looks at you as a son. If you had dared to try that crap with anyone else… _Jasper physically shuddered to think what would have happened to him in any other coven had he shown the same lack of respect to the coven leader as he had done to Carlisle. He knew that he would be lucky to still be alive to be contemplating his error in judgment. At the very least he would have lost a limb or two, but that was not Carlisle's way.

Carlisle treated him as a son instead of a subordinate. The elder was much more than a leader to his coven; he was the gentle, considerate, concerned authority figure who offered structure and safety to his family. Carlisle honestly loved and trusted him and this was how Jasper repaid that kindness; by obstinately disregarding his directive.

Jasper walked over to the chair and flopped back down, cradling his head once again.

Knowing that his life wasn't in any danger, it seemed strange for him to feel so ... well truthfully he would have to use the word scared. The youngest Major in the Confederate Cavalry and second in command to the largest most successful coven of the South Wars, had never felt quite as frightened in his long life as he did right now. Worst thing about that was that it really made no sense at all.

He knew that Carlisle would never dismember him or take his life as Maria most likely would have done. He was also fairly certain that any pain inflicted by his father's hands would be minimal, but still he felt a cold dread wrapping through his gut as he replayed his actions in his mind's eye. Those images caused the monstrous fear to gnaw at his tattered soul. It was a deep raging mounting fear, but what was it that he was so fearful of?

Jasper sighed softly as he accepted what he already knew to be true. What he feared most was his leader's disapproval and disappointment. Physical pain he could handle. He had a great deal of experience with that, but to see disappointment in Carlisle's eyes with full knowledge that he was the one responsible for it… Well Jasper feared that would likely be too much for him to bear.

"What have you gone and done?"

A light film of venom coated his eyes as he began to experience the pangs of deep soul-wrenching regret. How could he find a way to repair the damage done to his relationship with his father? Would he even still be allowed to refer to Carlisle as his father? Surely no loving son would have treated his father with such disrespect. The man deserved so much better. He deserved the Major's admiration, obedience and utmost consideration. That was the least that Jasper knew to be Carlisle's due, yet the boy's actions had told a different story.

"Did you really have to be such a jackass? The idea was to try to make things better. Instead, you go and make them a thousand times worse, for everyone, not just your dimwitted ass."

The metallic click of the door handle caused him to look up just as his father opened the door.

Jasper shivered slightly as his wide anxious eyes met his father's soft yet stern gaze. Carlisle looked exhausted and the darkness of his eyes did little to ease his son's worry.

Taking a deep breath, the elder softly sighed. "Come on, Jasper. Let's go take a walk, Son."

The boy bowed his head, but made no move to get up and follow his father. "Is there a woodshed somewhere out there on the hospital grounds?"

Carlisle lowered his head just a touch while a light smirk tugged at his lips. "I may have to see about commissioning one to be built."

"Reckon it would be put to good use."

The doctor slowly closed the distance between himself and his assistant. Placing his hand on his son's shoulder, he gave Jasper a little squeeze. "I reckon that it would, at least as long as my family and I are around."

Ruffling the younger man's hair, Carlisle spoke gently. "Let's go, Jazz. We need to talk this out and get this issue taken care of once and for all. We still have patients to check on and some lab work to go over. Besides, I promised a very concerned young lady that we would be in to see her soon, so I do believe it would be for the best if we didn't draw this out any longer than necessary."

Jasper bit the inside of his cheek and thought for a moment before exhaling a held breath and hauled himself to his feet.

"Papa, can't we just get this done here? Well, at least the talking part. I would rather not be gone from the hospital any longer than need be. What if that cretin comes back and tries to take Amanda again?"

Carlisle shook his head as he gently took his boy's elbow and aimed him towards the door. "We need to get a little distance from here right now, but don't worry about Mr. Hayford. He has been banned from the property until tomorrow. Amanda and her mother are perfectly safe for now. You on the other hand, young man..." The doctor crossed his arms and sighed. "Stalling only makes things worse and that is something that you are already well aware of. Don't try my patience today, Jasper. I don't have much left."

Jasper nodded then slipped out the door with his father close behind.

The pair hadn't walked very far from the hospital when Carlisle directed Jasper towards a picnic table in a park style clearing at the edge of the forest.

Jasper looked around at the humans milling about before turning his confused gaze on his father. "Here? Really?"

"This is as good a place as any." Carlisle brushed some debris off the seat and sat down, waiting for his son to follow suit.

So, it was Carlisle's intention to humiliate him. Jasper exhaled sharply at the distasteful idea. He really couldn't blame his father. When normal methods cease to work, you try something new, but this still seemed out of character for the good doctor. However, if this was what Carlisle felt that his foolishness had earned, Jasper would just have to find a way to accept with as much dignity as possible.

Sitting down across from his father, Jasper folded his hands on the table top and looked expectantly into Carlisle's eyes before becoming distracted. A small red haired boy ran at them then dropped onto all fours and crawled under the table to retrieve his run away ball. Holding his treasure aloft, he giggled and shot Jasper a smile before racing back off towards his friends and their game.

Jasper closed his eyes for a minute as he inwardly moaned. _Yeah, I think dignity is well out of my reach this time._

"Jasper, would you care to at least attempt an explanation for what I was just forced to witness?"

He opened his eyes as his father's voice drew him away from his thoughts. "Not really." The solider stared steadily at Carlisle, appearing calm while inside his was shaking like a leaf.

"I suggest that you rethink that option." When his son continued to remain silent, Carlisle sighed and offered a starting point from which to open the conversation. "Why did you disobey me and leave my office?"

"I didn't actually disobey..."

"Jasper!" Carlisle's tone was one of complete shock. "Don't make this worse by trying to lie to me. I know that you know better than that. Don't you think that you are in enough trouble?"

"I'm not lying, Papa. I thought about it a great deal before I did anything. You said that you would like for me to stay in the office. You didn't say that I had to. It wasn't an order or anything of that nature."

"Jasper Whitlock, I don't believe that you of all people are going to try to play a semantics game with me. You knew very well what I meant. Are you telling me that I have to be more explicit with my directions and treat you like a child? Am I really going to have to spell everything out for you from now on?" Carlisle gave Jasper an incredulous look. It was inconceivable to him, that his steadfast mature minded son would take this sort of approach to weasel out of a justifiable reprimand.

The southerner suddenly found it impossible to look his father in the eye and lowered his gaze to his fidgeting hands.

"I asked you a question, young man. I expect an answer."

Swallowing hard to dislodge the lump that formed in his throat, Jasper shook his head. "No, Sah. You're right. Ah knew betta."

"Then why did you disobey?"

"Ah wanted ta halp. That's all. Ah swear."

Carlisle rubbed his eyes before reaching across the table and placing a couple fingers beneath his boy's chin to raise Jasper's head.

"I know that you wanted to help, Son, but we had already established that you would have been more help by staying out of the fray, or was that just my imagination?"

"No, Sah. That's what ah was told to do."

"And you didn't listen to me because...?" Jasper tried to look away, but Carlisle was too quick for him. Catching his son's chin he forced the boy to look back into his dark golden eyes.

"Because ah thought that ah knew better. Ah thought ah could control myself." He cleared his throat as he tried to regain control over his nervousness. "I thought that if I could stand outside the room and influence the occupants within it enough that everyone would calm down and work things out amiably." He leaned back just out of Carlisle's reach and glanced away from his father's scrutiny. After taking several breaths he bolstered the courage to look back at his superior. "I never planned on entering that room. I thought that I could help from behind the scenes. I know that I can't expect you to believe me at this point, but that is the truth, Papa."

Carlisle tilted his head to the side as he studied the boy before him. Sighing inwardly, he nodded his head. "I do believe you, Jasper. I am prepared to believe that you only meant well. Sadly, that help, as well intended as it was, turned into a problem because you cannot predict the outcome of this type of situation. This is the reason for why I wanted you as far removed from the situation as possible.

You could not know that Mrs. Hayford was going to leave the room at that moment. You weren't prepared to deal with your emotional response to hearing Amanda in distress. Imagine what would have happened had I not been close enough to prevent you from hitting that man."

Jasper closed his eyes and huffed quietly. "I already have imagined it."

"Not a pleasant scenario, is it, Son?" Carlisle crossed his arms as he raised a questioning brow.

"No, Sir, it isn't, but I didn't punch him and I didn't let him hit me because I knew that he would have broken his hand. Doesn't that count a least a little bit in my favor? I mean, really, nothing did happen."

"By the grace of God, but anything could have, Jasper. I need you to understand that and if or when something like this happens again, I want you to think about today. Think about how that little girl would have felt if you had injured her father, or worse."

Jasper shook his head as he glanced away.

"Nothing like this can ever happen again." Carlisle stopped and looked at his remorseful son. "Jasper, look at me."

The boy was slow to comply, but eventually followed his father's instruction.

Pinning Jasper with a stern dark look, Carlisle spoke slowly and quietly, allowing his authority to seep into his tone. "You will not have any contact with this man ever again. You will not stand outside a door to attempt to manipulate his emotions. You will not allow yourself to be within ear shot of him and you most certainly will never cross his field of vision. I cannot impress upon you the seriousness of what has happened here this morning. Should you not mind me again in this manner, I will have to take drastic measures. I won't have a choice. I don't want to have to even think about what I would be forced to do, so never give me cause to act."

"No, Sir. I swear to you that I will stay as far away from that man as possible."

Carlisle watched his boy in silence for several long minutes before finally nodding his head and inhaling deeply.

"Jasper, I have to say that I was incredibly shocked with your behavior. It is not just the fact that you were willing to provoke a human into fighting with you, but more so the knowledge that you made a conscious decision to defy me."

Jasper's shoulders sagged at his father's words as he closed his eyes and nodded.

"I have never known you to be so blatantly disobedient. Errors in judgment can happen and are rather expected in the heat of the moment, but that was not the case here. You knew full well what you were doing. You chose to ignore me and that is something that I cannot tolerate. You know that, don't you?"

The youth swallowed nervously before finding his voice. "Yes, Sir."

"Then you know what to expect when we get home this evening. I want you to go straight to the study so we can address this behavior and hopefully finally be through with this issue."

Jasper's brow furrowed in stunned confusion as he glanced up at Carlisle. "When we get home?"

"Yes, Jazz. While I do believe you would benefit from immediate punishment, both to instill the lesson and to eliminate your habit of ruminating, this is neither the time nor the place."

"But, I thought that was why we left the hospital to take a walk."

"No, Son. I just wanted to give us a more relaxing neutral setting to talk things through. I don't think it would benefit little Miss Amanda to see you …uncomfortable. I believe that you will be much more helpful and better able to keep your mind on your work, if you aren't fretting over the sting of a sore backside.

We have a full day ahead of us. As long as you refrain from anymore instances of your early misbehavior, I feel that punishment can certainly wait until we go home."

Jasper looked away as he considered his father's logic. Waiting was never an easy thing for Jasper. He knew that his butt was not going to survive the hell he had gotten it into, so he really would have preferred just facing his father's displeasure now instead of having hours to worry while his anxiety grew. However, experience told him that he would not be sitting for quite some time, so if he was expected to work with his father it really would be better to suffer through the worrying and wait until they were in the privacy of their home.

"I'll behave, Papa and don't worry; I'll be in your study before you can get the garage closed."

Carlisle smirked then reached over and patted his son's arm. "I want it over with just as badly as you do."

"Somehow, I have to think I'm just a bit more anxious than you are, Papa."

The elder indulged himself in a soft laugh before getting to his feet. "I think we've kept our patients waiting long enough, don't you?"

Jasper looked into his father's gentle gold eyes noting the sadness reflected there. He gave a short nod and rose to follow his father, but was surprised to find himself suddenly wrapped in Carlisle's arms. At first he stiffened in shock before allowing himself to relax as he felt the warmth of his father's love envelope him.

The solider felt the sting of venom tears flooding his eyes as he returned Carlisle's embrace.

Burying his face against his father's shoulder, Jasper muttered, "I'm so sorry, Papa. So very sorry for all of this. I'll make it up to you somehow. You shouldn't have to put up with me and my stupidity. It's not right to ask that of you."

Carlisle threaded his fingers through his son's blond locks as he cradled Jasper's head against him and cooed softly. "Ssh, Jazz. Don't talk that sort of foolishness. Hush now. Tóg go bog é. Ceart go leor. You are going to be just fine. There is nothing for you to make up to me, Son. Just don't let this happen again. That's all I ask." He found himself swaying slightly as he reassured his boy. "I know your heart, Jasper Whitlock. You try to do what's best, but sometimes your passion simply causes you to get a bit carried away and that is what happened here.

Sometimes I have to step in when you go a bit astray and bring you back in line. I don't like that particular task, but I love you, Jasper so I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. And, before you say it, you are not a problem and you are worth it. I refuse to hear anything to the contrary."

Jasper sniffled as he blinked back his tears and pulled away. "I am more trouble than I'm worth; you just haven't realized that yet."

"Did you not hear what I just said? I won't have any of that self-debasing talk, young man."

Jasper glanced away then nodded his head before wiping a stray tear away. "I'm sorry for this God awful display, Carlisle. I should be able to handle my emotions better than this. It's not like I don't deal with everyone else's all the time."

"That is all the more reason to let them go." Carlisle though for a second before adding, "As long as you do so in an appropriate manner."

A faint grin appeared on Jasper's face. "No picking fights."

"Especially not with human opponents."

"Especially not with humans," he nodded in agreement. "Even ones who really deserve to have their butts kicked."

Carlisle ruffled his son's hair before pulling him back into a quick hug. "Ready to get back to work? I'm sure little Miss Amanda thinks the worse by now. That little girl will have the police out looking for your body, concerned that I killed you. She was quite worried about you being in trouble."

Jasper looked slightly startled at his father's comment causing Carlisle to smile.

"What? You don't believe that a Champion can have a Champion of his own?"

"No, it's not that, but …."

"She didn't want you feeling badly about what happen. I do believe you have an ardent admirer, Son. Alice better look out."

Jasper rolled his eyes. "It's not me that she admires. She is just dazzled by the vampire. That's all there is to that."

Carlisle squinted and shook his head. "Hmm… I don't think that is it. I'm sure there might be a bit of vampiric influence along with a touch of your natural charisma, but children are good judges of character. I believe Amanda can see the same goodness that I see in you and that is mostly what she is responding to."

The solider looked more than a little doubtful before he cocked an eyebrow and grinned. "If you say so, Papa."

His father gave him a little wink. "Trust me. This old man has seen a lot and I've learned a bit along the way. I would never steer you wrong."

"They do say that with age comes great wisdom so by my reckoning, at your ancient age and all, you must be some Master Guru by now. Guess I will have to bow to your greater knowledge, Father Time."

"Who are you calling ancient?"

Carlisle grabbed his son in a headlock and wrestled around with him for a few seconds before letting Jasper go with a playful shove. Both men continued to joke and laugh as they made their way back towards the hospital in much higher spirits then when they had started out. Even with the promise of a punishment session looming, Jasper and Carlisle both felt a little more at ease with themselves and each other as they returned to take on the rest of their day.

* * *

**AN:** Well guys, at least everyone is on an even keel again. I have a feeling it is going to be a long fretful trip home for the Major, but at least for now he's doing okay.

Thank you all for all the encouragement and kind reviews. Special thanks to Splinter for taking one for the team. *hugs*

Gaelic lesson... one is a review. Tóg go bog é... means 'Take it easy' or 'Calm down' and Ceart go leor translate along the lines of 'It's alright.'

Jazzy is not looking forward to the next chapter, but I'll get it up ASAP. ;-) Always better to put him out of his misery as quick as possible anyway.


	8. The Reckoning

The rest of the day was blessedly relatively uneventful with the exception of a logging accident which brought in a patient with severe lacerations from a kicked back saw. The man had been stabilized in the field and the worst of the bleeding controlled, but still the surplus of fresh blood proved too great for Jasper to bear. Holding his breath and fighting down his inflamed blood-lust, the boy quickly excused himself from the ER.

Looking for a way to take Jasper's mind off of the injured man, Carlisle sent him to check on some of their patients; promising to catch up once the emergency had been resolved.

With his father's blessing, the younger man soon found his way to the door of one very special patient's room.

Heeding the elder's warning words, the Major listened intently for any sounds emanating from behind the closed door. He couldn't risk a run in with Franklin Hayford again and Jasper put little stock in a hospital security imposed ban on the man.

The detection of a single strong steady heartbeat that was nearly drowned out by the racket of a cartoon show brought a bright smile to the young man's face. Slowly cracking open the door, he easily spied the little dark haired girl curled up on the bed in the darkened room.

As light from the hallway fell across the foot of her bed she glanced up and squealed in delight.

"JAZZ!"

He gave her a lopsided smile as he walked over to her bed. "Hey there, munchkin. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright." She threw her arms around Jasper's neck and hugged him tightly before letting go to slump back on her pillow with a concerned expression on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Well, sure. I'm right as rain. It's been a pretty decent day, but right now Papa is taking care of a patient in emergency and he figured that I would just get in the way. He told me that he wanted me to go check on the patients for him. Here I am; checking on the patient." He cocked a brow and gave her a curious glance. "You say that you feel alright, but I'm not entirely sure about that. Better just find out for myself."

He lightly squeezed her upper arm through her nightgown. "Hmm... I don't know. You feel a little squishy to me. Let's see about here."

Jasper tickled both of the little girl's sides making her giggle as she curled up to protect herself and tried in vain to squirm away.

Stopping his assault, the Major grinned broadly as his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Well, ma'am, I'm not sure how that really felt, but I have to say that your reflexes are pretty darn good."

"Jazz." She rolled her eyes as she laughed more at the doctor's assistant.

Jasper's expression turned to one of pure shock. "What? I'm just trying to run some preliminary test before the head honcho doc gets here. Just doing my job, Miss. I don't want the doc to think I'm slackin' or nothin' like that."

Her exuberant smile slowly faded at his words.

"What's wrong, pipsqueak?" He tilted his head to the side as he look at her with thoughtful concern.

"Your dad seemed pretty mad this morning. I don't want you to be in trouble because of me."

"Oh you just hush with that." Jasper sat down on the side of the bed and gently brushed a lock of ebony hair out of Amanda's face as he gazed into her bright blue eyes. "Papa wasn't too impressed with me, but he's not mad and even if he was, it would be because of me. You didn't make me do anything, so I don't want you to fret about anything like that."

"But, Jazz..."

"No. No buts. There is nothing for you to worry about anyway. My Papa and I are cool. We had ourselves a little talk about what happened and worked things out. I am sorry that I got a bit carried away and I really didn't mean to scare you like that, sweetie. The ol' Doc is right to think that I let my emotions overtake my common sense. I already knew better, but sometimes I just need to have the obvious pointed out to me." He gave her a wink as he patted the back of her hand. "I can be stubborn as an old plow mule when I have the mind for it."

In spite of her concern for her new friend, Amanda found herself giggling at his odd comparison.

"Now that's more like it. That's what I want to see and hear." Jasper smiled gently. "Nothing is gonna dampen my spirits so long as I get to hear that cute little laugh of yours." He quickly fell silent as he tilted his head, narrowed his eyes and listened intently. "Wait just a cotton pickin' minute here. What's this? What happen to that laugh? Nope, that wasn't nearly a long enough duration. We have to fix that and we might as well see if we can crank up the volume while we're at it. I'm sure there is an adjustment knob here somewhere."

The look on his face told Amanda that her hero was up to no good. In a flash he was tickling her again mercilessly.

"Ah HA! I found the on switch. Now let's see how you adjust this volume."

Amanda was squalling and rolling around on the bed while Jasper grinned ear to ear delighting in her laughter when Carlisle quietly walked into the room.

"It's good to see that you're feeling better."

Both patient and assistant froze instantly, unsure which of them the doctor was addressing at the moment.

Jasper shuddered ever so slightly as he felt his father's hand alight on his shoulder encouraging him to rise from his seat. Swallowing his nervousness, he shared a smirk and quick wink with the young girl before standing to allow his father access to his patient.

"You lucked out munchkin. Next time I'll have to make sure that we aren't interrupted." Jasper gave his friend a warm smile as he flipped open the chart that Carlisle had handed him and prepared to jot down any notes required.

An easy grin brightened the elder's face, but as he gently gripped his patient's wrist to monitor her pulse, he noticed that she flinched at his touch. Noting a slight increase in her respiration and heartbeat, Carlisle began to feel the twinges of concern. His young patient was suddenly quite uncharacteristically tense and he didn't have a clue as to why.

"Hmm." He released his hold on her and studied her more closely with a critical eye. "Amanda, are you experiencing any new or unusual pain?"

"No, Sir, Dr. Cullen. I feel pretty good, really." She glanced nervously down at her hands. "Right as rain," she added quietly.

Carlisle shot his son a sideways glance before turning his attention back to his patient.

"Right as rain, huh? Seems I've heard that phrase a time or two before."

Pulling a chair closer to the bed, Carlisle sat down with a nearly silent sigh. "Amanda, darling, you know that we are likely to release you tomorrow afternoon. Since you have been such a wonderful patient and followed what the staff has told you, you've made a remarkable recovery. I can't see any reason to keep you here any longer." Carlisle placed a knuckle beneath her jaw and tilted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "Are you worried about going home? If you are, you can tell Jasper and I. We want to help you, honey, but there is only so much we can do if we don't know the whole story of what is going on."

Amanda shivered then shook her head. "I'm going to miss the people around here, especially Jazz, but I'm not worried about going home. I'm excited about getting out of here. Lying around in bed all day is boring."

Carlisle leaned back a bit and crossed his arms as he heaved a sigh. "Then why are you so nervous all of a sudden?" His brow furrowed a bit as a thought occurred to him. "You're not scared of me, are you? Have I done something to upset you, sweetheart?"

Amanda swallowed hard as she looked down and fidgeted with the hem of her sheet. "No, not really."

"Then what is the matter, honey? It bothers me to see you this uncomfortable. Please tell me what I can do to ease your worries."

The little girl sunk a bit further down her bed as she squeaked quietly. "Don't be mad at Jazz. He didn't mean to do anything wrong; I just know that he didn't. You have to believe me, Dr. Cullen. Just because he and my dad don't get along doesn't mean that he is bad. Some people just get on each other's nerves, like Janice and me at school. That doesn't make us bad and it doesn't make Jazz bad either. I don't want him to be in trouble because of me and my dad."

"Oh come on, Pipsqueak. I already told you...," Jasper started before he was cut off by Carlisle's raised hand.

"Amanda, you could no more cause Jasper to be in trouble than you could sprout wings and fly. We all make our own decisions on how to act and no one twisted my son's arm, least of all you. If he is in trouble that is because he alone decided to act inappropriately. You are in no way responsible for that." When Amanda didn't appear to be accepting the doctor's explanation any more than she had Jasper's, Carlisle sighed softly and added, "If it helps any, sweetheart, I am not mad at Jasper. I'm disappointed in the way he behaved, but it would take a great deal more than that to cause me to be angry with him."

The little girl tucked her chin tightly to her chest as she nearly whispered, "But you sounded mad and... and you pushed him."

Jasper's eyes narrowed suddenly as he absorbed Amanda's words. "People who are mad at each other push one another around, don't they? Has anyone ever pushed you, pipsqueak?"

"Jasper."

Carlisle's warning whisper fell once more on deaf ears as his son approached the foot of the bed. "Has your dad ever pushed you, baby doll? You can tell me. You're safe with me, sweetie."

Amanda shook her head violently. "No. He would never do anything like that. No, Jazz. Just no."

"How does he act when you've been naughty, munchkin? Does he ever lose his temper like he did in here today?"

"No."

Carlisle stood up and calmly laid his hand on his son's shoulder. When Jasper tried to shrug him off, his father tightened his grip until a slight gasp came from the boy and he redirected his focus from the young girl to the doctor.

"That will do, Jasper. Do you need to leave the room for a few minutes to calm yourself down?"

Glassy dark topaz eyes stared into Carlisle's as he winced at the pressure applied to the nerves in his shoulder. Dropping his head he slowly shook it as he breathed through the dull aching pain.

"I believe an apology is warranted, don't you?" Carlisle loosened his hold to gently rub his boy's smarting shoulder as he waited patiently for a response.

"Yes, Sir."

Jasper looked over at the little girl and exhaled in an inward sigh as he saw the tears in her eyes; tears that he was the cause of. "I'm so sorry, Amanda. Can you ever forgive me?"

Slipping out from under his father's hand, he walked over to the side of the bed and took her tiny hand very gently in his. "I don't know why I acted like that. I'm just being a jerk. I really am very sorry. I didn't mean to insult your dad. That was just me being stupid." He hung his head and closed his eyes. "See, mind of a mule, but I think a mule just might have a bit more sense than me."

A delicate hand brushed against his cheek causing him to open his eyes and peer into the soft sad eyes that looked up at him.

"I forgive you, Jazz. Daddy has never pushed me, but a couple of times he and mom have shoved each other when they get into an argument. It's not right to do that to anyone though. Sometimes it just happens by accident."

"It's not always as easy to control our tempers as it should be," Carlisle added quietly then smiled at Amanda while he reached out to rub his son's back lightly.

"No one is perfect," the little girl offered.

"Least of all me." Jasper brought the hand he held up to his lips and kissed it before finally releasing Amanda. "I am really really sorry, munchkin."

The little girl suddenly grinned while her eyes twinkled. "Looks like you owe me, mister."

Jasper looked at her with a quizzical expression.

"I think...you owe me... donuts tomorrow morning. Yep. Nothing says sorry like a hot doughnut."

The blonde haired youth snorted. "Doughnuts?"

"Yep, with chocolate icing and sprinkles." She nodded decisively. "And you better not forget or you really will be in trouble."

"Oh, no ma'am, I will not forget your donuts. I'll make sure that they are hot, even if I have to make them myself."

"Ooooo, you know how to make doughnuts?"

"You just wrap some dough around a nut and there you go."

Amanda giggled at his silliness. "That's not how you make a doughnut."

"It's not?" Jasper gasped in shock.

"No silly. Haven't you ever seen them made? They have this machine that drops batter rings into these big fryers..."

With a soft sigh, Carlisle left the two bakers to their discussion as he picked up the discarded chart and retook his seat. Reading over the reports, he couldn't see any realistic reason to hold his young patient much longer. He would have to see what findings CPS had for him in the morning and if everything checked out, he would have to release Miss Amanda Hayford tomorrow afternoon.

He worried about how his talk with her father would go, but for now he would do his best to put those thoughts off until tomorrow. The patriarch had enough to worry about tonight.

This issue with Jasper had grown to a level of seriousness that could not be easily brush off and ignored. The boy's minor meltdown just now told Carlisle that his son's self-control was seriously lacking. It was possible that being around the blood scent in the hospital posed too much of a drain on his control and that was the reason for his recent breakdowns, but regardless of the reason, that could not be tolerated. Carlisle knew that he would have to make an indelible impression on the youth once and for all.

The vision of a heavy rubber paddle flashed in his mind, causing him to groan very quietly. That was not a thought that he relished, but it would undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on his errant son. Carlisle rubbed his temple with one hand as he jotted down notes with the other. Silently he prayed that he wouldn't have to take such harsh measures with Jasper.

"Alright, you two. Let's wrap up this cooking class. I regret to say, young lady, that Jasper and I are going to have to be going, but I trust that you've worked out the terms of his tribute."

Jasper tucked the blanket around his little friend as he rattled off his assigned task. "Warm chocolate frosted donuts with sprinkles and cold chocolate milk. I've got it."

"Perfect!"

"Alright then, pipsqueak, I'll see you in the morning. You had better be good."

"Be good yourself, Jazz."

The boy smirked at her comment as he turned towards the door, giving her a nod. "I always try."

As the door closed behind them, Carlisle glanced at his son. "I think you might need to try just a little bit harder."

Jasper bowed his head at the mild reprimand. "Yes, Papa."

"We have a couple more things to take care of and then we can call it a day." He gently patted Jasper's back and listened to the boy sigh softly.

* * *

About an hour later, the men relaxed in the comfort of Carlisle's Mercedes as it wound its way along the road towards their home. Already regretting what he knew had to be done caused Carlisle to stick doggedly to the speed limit making the ride take longer than usual.

Next to him, Jasper remained subdued. The occasional sigh or soft groan was clue enough for his father to know that the boy's thoughts were on his earlier actions and the due consequences. The patriarch wished that there was another way to make the required change in his son's behavior, but talking and reasoning had already failed. Carlisle felt as though his hands were tied; a feeling he completely despised.

Another sigh from the passenger's seat tore at his heart. If only there was some way of lightening his son's burden.

"There in no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice," Carlisle whispered mainly to himself, but out of the corner of his eye he saw his son slowly turn to glance at him. "Joseph Addison. I actually met him once. Interesting man though rather shy for a poetry writing politician." Carlisle met Jasper's eyes. "I believe that he would have liked you. He would have greatly approved of your virtues.

I know that what you want is justice for Amanda, son, but more and more, I honestly doubt that there has been any crime committed."

"I don't trust him. He's too violent."

Carlisle choked a little as he turned his attention back to the road ahead. "He's too violent, but you aren't?"

"He is offensive. I only turn violent in defense of those who aren't able to defend themselves."

"And yet, you were the one to start the altercation."

"He threw the first punch."

"Did you not goad him into it?"

Instead of answering, Jasper turned away from his father to watch the trees speed by outside his window. After several long minutes of silence Jasper leaned his head against the tinted glass and whispered hoarsely, "He hurt Amanda. He made her cry."

Carlisle drew a deep breath before quietly responding, "Yes, he did. I had a chance to watch the two of them interact after you left and I feel comfortable saying that was a mistake on his part. I don't believe he meant to grab her injured arm. He really shouldn't have snatched at her like he did, but I don't feel that his intentions were malicious."

"The road to Hell…."

Carlisle nodded. "As your good intentions have proven several times."

"Yes, Sir."

Jasper leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes while allowing the rhythm of the tires against the road to lull him into a state of relative calm; a calmness that lasted all too briefly.

As the car turned off the main highway, Carlisle heard Jasper inhale sharply and hold his breath. Even though the motion was too slight to be detected by human eyes, Carlisle noticed his son begin to shiver with nervous energy. He was sliding into a fight or flight mode and struggling hard against either option.

"You're okay, son. Breathe. Holding your breath just causes the stress to build up in your system. Breathe and try to stay calm. Suaimhneas. Go bog anois. It will all be over soon. Everything will be forgiven and forgotten."

Jasper swallowed nervously as he slowly released his breath and gave his head a shake. "Forgiven, maybe. Forgotten, never."

Carlisle slowly applied the brake and brought the car to a halt in the middle of the private road. Shifting into park, he turned to his son who suddenly wore a panicked fearful expression. "Forgiveness is guaranteed, Jazz. There is nothing in this world that you could do that cannot be forgiven. Do you understand me?"

Jasper tried to turn away, but Carlisle prevented him from doing so with gentle pressure against his cheek.

"Son?" He raised a questioning brow.

The youth swallowed again and nodded.

"As far as the forgetting goes, this incident will be forgotten in the manner of never being brought up again. You are not to ruminate on it and I will never bring it back up again. What's in the past needs to stay there and that is just what will happen with this unpleasantness; it will become an ancient incident to be lost to time."

"Yes, Papa."

Carlisle lowered his head slightly as his eyes narrowed while he examined his son.

"Jasper, this is hard enough on us both. There is no need to make it worse. I want your word that as soon as we're done with this, you will let rest."

Jasper closed his eyes. "Is my word even worth anything anymore?"

"To me, yes it is. I know that your word is your bond, Jazz. Just because you aren't flawless …. Well, Son, that doesn't make your word any less reliable."

"I will do my best to let it go."

Carlisle had hoped for a bit better, but he nodded before bringing the engine back to life allowing the sleek black car to pick its way along the final leg of their journey.

All too soon, the patriarch was pulling into his space in the garage, his unbeating heart heavy with grief.

"I'll just be… I'll be upstairs, Papa." Before his father could respond, Jasper was out of the car and in the house in a flash.

Carlisle watched his boy disappear from view then leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes. "You have to be strong for this young man. This is not about what you want to do; it's about what you have to do. It is what he needs." He raked his hand through his hair as he tried to relax and center himself. "You have to stop him before he does something that he will most certainly regret. You know this, so why are you so hesitant?"

Slowly getting out of his car, Carlisle stood for a moment listening for any noises from the house that would signal that members of his family were home. While Emmett's jeep was missing, any of the others could have easily still remained behind and his main concern right now was interference from Alice. The strong bong that drew his baby girl and Jasper to each other, would not allow either to abandon the other to a perceived threat of danger. While Alice was better able to control her protectiveness over her mate, usually she would have had reassurance from either Carlisle or Jasper himself that he would come to no harm, but this time all she had to rely on were her visions. Even though Alice trusted her visions, firsthand knowledge in circumstances such as these was much more apt to ease her mind.

The cold silence that extended from the house spoke volumes to the patriarch. His princess must have seen the altercation that facilitated the need for Jasper's punishment. The fact that the house was devoid of life, meant that Alice had accepted the necessity of what Carlisle felt had to be done with her mate. There was no doubt in the elder's mind that Alice would be back at Jasper's side to offer comfort just as soon as everything was over, but Carlisle found the amount of trust his daughter put in him very humbling.

He stood listening to the sounds of his disheartened son making his way up the stairs a bit more slowly than usual, before Carlisle finally gave into his need to see this task over. Quietly he drew on the strength of his love for Jasper to find the courage required to enter the house and follow in the boy's wake.

Easing the study door open, Carlisle saw Jasper standing at the window with his hands clasped firmly behind him as he studied the forest illuminated by the colors of the setting sun.

"I seriously considered it this time."

"Considered what," Carlisle asked softly as he crossed the threshold, closing the door behind him with a faint metallic click.

"Runnin'." Jasper continued to stare straight ahead but caught sight of his father's reflection in the glass. "Been a long time since I considered that as an option."

"Well, thank you for deciding against doing so. Running never solves anything. Instead it usually makes matters much worse than they already are."

The southern boy nodded. "I know which is why I didn't do it. Must say that even knowing that's true, it still is extremely tempting."

Carlisle placed his hand lightly on Jasper's shoulder as he considered the boy's reflection in the glass. "Then I believe we should get started. I don't see the point of lecturing you any further, Jasper. You've had most of the day to think on your transgression. The only thing that I will ask is do you feel that punishment is unjustified in this circumstance?"

The solider remained silent and still for several moments before shifting his gaze to his father's reflected eyes. He shook his head ever so slightly before muttering a whispered, "No, Sir. After what I have done, it is certainly justifiable."

Allowing his hand to fall from his son's shoulder, Carlisle reached in the pocket of his slacks and withdrew his keys. Without taking his eyes off Jasper's reflection, he held up a tiny key for the boy to see.

Jasper's head drooped as he drew a deep breath and very slowly released it. Turning, he took the key from his father's hand.

"Bottom most right hand drawer, Son."

"Do I get to choose?"

Carlisle tilted his head slightly as he raised a brow. "You already know the answer to that, but if you think games are in your best interest…."

"No, Sah."

Reluctantly, Jasper made his way over to his father's desk, while Carlisle settled down on the loveseat to wait patiently.

Unlocking the drawer, the solider swallowed hard and shivered nearly imperceptibly as he slid it open. Doing his best to ignore the fabric wrapped bundle that reeked of saddle soap and neatsfoot oil, he focused on the rubber product of his handiwork nestled next to it. The bright pink tape handle mocked him as tiny kitties smiled back from the depth of the drawer. _Good God, Edward was right. Making that damn thing has to be the most stupid thing you have ever done._

"Jasper?"

Grabbing it quickly before he could lose his nerve, Jasper pulled the paddle from the safety of the desk drawer and looked across at his father. "Ah 'ave it, Papa."

Carlisle nodded. "Good. Bring it here, Son."

The elder watched with a certain level of fascination and a great deal of concern as the young man closed his eyes and controlled his breathing in an attempt to stave off his mounting fear. The solider was drawing on his reserve of courage to try to get himself through this ordeal. Self-preservation told him to flee and, failing that, to fight, but his upbringing and training told him it was his duty to submit. His honor demanded that he accept his superior's reprimand without complaint. To do otherwise would bring nothing but shame and that was something that Jasper would not tolerate.

Carlisle knew his son's heart and mind. He could see the struggle going on within him, but he also knew what voice would win. With the others, he may have been tempted to repeat his order, though with Jasper he felt confident that it would be followed as long as he was patient and gave the boy the time he needed to accept his fate.

Opening his eyes, Jasper looked into Carlisle's caring face. Clearing his throat he struggled a little to keep his voice steady. "Papa, I'm scared."

"Of me?"

"No." He shook his head. "Of myself. What if this doesn't work? What if I'm just too stupid or stubborn to learn my lesson? What then?"

Carlisle beckoned Jasper with a crooked finger to which the boy fairly quickly responded. Patting the space next to him, he encouraged his son to sit.

"Jasper, you are stubborn, there is no doubt about that, but you are a far cry from stupid. If you don't learn your lesson, the fault is mine for not finding the right motivation that will cause you to want to change your behavior."

Carlisle stopped and thought for a minute before continuing. "Talking has had limited results. I know that you want to do as I ask, but your motivation to protect this human child is stronger than your will to follow my advice. Since I can't seem to motivate you to behave correctly, I'm going to try to deter you from blatantly poor behavior. Your willingness to defy me is what really brings us to this point." Gently Carlisle took the paddle from Jasper's hand and turned it over slowly.

"I never wanted to even feel that I would need to use this on you, but at the moment I think it's the best way to get through to you. Your aggressive behavior was uncalled for, unruly, and completely unacceptable; however, had this been an instinctual reaction I would approach correcting it differently. Instead, you showed me that you were consciously rejecting my wishes and warnings so you could follow through with what you already knew to be inappropriate. That's what your Hello Kitty here is going to work at correcting."

Jasper sighed softly and nodded.

"Now, if as you fear, this still doesn't work, we'll try something else. Eventually we will find the proper motivation or deterrent for this situation. I will never give up on you, Jazz. I pray that this will be the solution so that there are no more near misses to worry about. I can't supervise you every moment of the day until you get past this concern you have for Amanda Hayford. I need you to be responsible and act accordingly, for the good of that little girl and her family as well as for the safety of our family. I need to be able to trust you, Jasper. That has never been an issue in the past, but where this man is concerned you have not proven yourself very trustworthy."

Tears obscured Jasper's vision as his father's words stung worse than the paddle ever could. "I want you to trust me."

"Then give me a reason to do so, Son."

Jasper's voice dropped to a lower volume that made even Carlisle strain to hear him. "I thought there was no point in lecturing me any further." He sniffed as he blinked back the tears that he refused to let fall.

"When the horse makes a comment, you realize it was just playing dead."

Jasper gave Carlisle an odd look before realization dawned on him. "I should have just kept my fool mouth shut."

His father smiled slightly and shook his head. "No, Jazz, it's always better to speak your mind. I need to know what you're thinking and feeling. That's the only way I can make an educated decision as to what to do that will help you best."

"Well if you want to know what I'm thinking right now; that would be that I'm about to be feeling a world of pain." He deftly unbuckled his belt and made quick work of the button and zipper of his jeans, but before he could push the denim down, Carlisle's hand covered his and stopped him. Looking up, Jasper met his father's dark eyes.

"Do you really understand why your actions today were wrong?"

"Yes, Sir. If you're asking if I agree with your decision to punish me, of course I do. I am going to try my best not to repeat what got me into this mess, regardless if you punished me or not." Jasper took a breath and swallowed hard. "Carlisle, the loss of any amount of your trust and the knowledge that I disappointed you are the worst things in the world to me, just shy of losing Alice. I'll do whatever it takes to repair that damage. This is the first step in doing that. I don't cherish the idea of having to think about my rash stupidity every time I try to sit down, but I do completely accept the fact that I earned it."

Carlisle removed his hand and nodded.

Jasper pushed his jeans down and wasted no time in allowing himself to be taken across his father's knee. Both men knew that the time for talking had come to an end and now there were just consequences to be dealt and accepted so they could move on.

Carlisle shifted Jasper a little further forward and felt, more than heard, his son heave a breath as he fought to calm himself.

"Jasper, you are being punished for two very serious transgressions so I am going to handle things a little differently. I want you to concentrate on what you did, why it was wrong and how you are going to correct your behavior in the future."

"I will, Papa." Jasper nodded his understanding before burying his head in his folded arms with a soft groan. There had been a faint waver in his tone that made him sound weak to his own ears. The solider despised appearing weak, especially in front of his superiors, but all he could hope for now was for Carlisle to have not noticed his failing courage. _Damn it, Whitlock. Don't be such a fuckin' coward all the time. What's Carlisle to think of ya if you can't even take an ass whoopin' without whining and carrying on? Some brave ass soldier you wound up being. _

Carlisle had indeed noticed the tremor in his son's tone, but the effect on the elder was not what his son feared. Instead of thinking poorly of the boy, all Carlisle wanted to do was to console him and let him know that everything was already forgiven. He wanted nothing more than to hold Jasper in his arms and make everything alright again, but he knew that he couldn't allow himself to indulge in that redeeming act just yet. Premature coddling would do little more than confuse Jasper. There would be time enough to comfort his son and reassure him of forgiveness after his punishment was complete. Carlisle knew that the kindest thing that he could do at this moment would be to follow through quickly so that his son didn't have to wallow in misery a moment longer than necessary.

Without another word, the patriarch wrapped his arm around his boy's waist and snugly drew him close before he brought the paddle crashing down sharply on Jasper's thinly clad backside.

The southern soldier's head shot up as he hissed through clenched teeth while his body stiffened in response to the stunning blow. It was clear that Carlisle was through playing games with him. He had finally managed to push his leader too far and was now going to reap the reward of all his hard work. _Fuck. It really will be a month or so before I sit again._

The edge of the rubber paddle tapped him gently on the shoulder. "Jasper, did you hear me? Try to relax your muscles. If you stay tense like this, you'll only make it harder to endure."

"I'm trying, Papa." His body shuddered as he put his head back down and forced a bit of the tension away.

The next series of strokes saw Jasper tense up again then begin to struggle against Carlisle's firm hold. All pretense of accepting his punishment stoically were forgotten as the stinging pain quickly bloomed across his behind. Jasper snarled, hissed, spit and growled as he thrashed on his father's lap trying to find a way to break free. He had become a wild animal caught in a trap that instinct demanded him to fight against or risk the forfeit of his life.

As the boy's hand shot back in an attempt to protect his battered backside, Carlisle was forced to loosen his grip around Jasper's waist to catch his wrist. Sensing a moment of weakness in the hold that confined him, the youth nearly wiggled his way free before his hand was pinned to the small of his back and he was hefted back onto his father's lap.

Suddenly, an ear splitting yowl caused the windows to vibrate as the paddle collided with the backs of his thighs before Carlisle placed the implement down next to him. His hand now free, the elder grasped his son by the back of the neck and held him down.

"Stop it, Jasper," he growled in a low threatening manner. "I have no issues with vocalization. I know that it hurts; it's supposed to, but I will not continue to deal with these theatrics."

With a snarl of warning that struck a chord in the boy, Carlisle pulled Jasper up and placed him on his feet. "Don't you dare move until I tell you to."

Jasper nodded slightly as he angled his head away from his father and brought his chin into his chest in a defensive maneuver meant to protect his throat.

Carlisle took several deep breaths to help regain his composure before getting to his feet.

The boy hunched his shoulders as he tried to make himself appear smaller while taking a single step back away from his father; his eyes wide in alarm.

Sighing, Carlisle softened his stance. "I'm not going to hurt you, Son, but we both need to calm down a bit. When you fight me, you are not able to think about what you did so you won't learn anything and it's even worse if you fear me."

Placing his hand on the back of Jasper's neck caused the boy to flinch, but Carlisle was soon able to guide him towards the nearest corner and face his son at the junction of the two walls.

"Lig do scíth." Carlisle cooed quietly. He wanted to reassure Jasper with a hug, but feared that at this moment his embrace would be viewed as an attack. "Calm yourself, Son. I'm going to step outside for just a few minutes to give you some breathing room. I won't be far away so if you need me, call. Please don't think that I'm abandoning you, Jasper. I just worry that my presence is going to hamper your ability to calm down."

Jasper drew a few rather shaky breaths before his breathing began to equalize. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the cool surface of the wall and sighed quietly.

Taking a chance, Carlisle ran his hand up the back of his son's neck then through his hair. Jasper froze at first before allowing himself to relax enough to accept his father's caress.

"I'll be right outside. Let's give it about fifteen minutes and see how that works. Just settle down, Jazz. Lig do scíth. Shhh." Carlisle reached his hand towards the boy's shoulder, but just before he touched Jasper he curled his fingers and pulled away then turned towards the door.

Reaching the door, the patriarch glanced back at his boy, standing so still and silent, alone with his thoughts. Carlisle's heart ached to help him somehow, but that was a healing the physician's skill could not accomplish. It was a matter that only time's mastery of healing could repair.

As he was pulling the door closed behind him a faint sound reached out to him that caused the elder to sigh inwardly with relief as venom stung his eyes.

"I love you, Papa. I always will."

* * *

**AN:** Sorry for the delay, folks, but Carlisle was being a pain in my behind when he should have been a pain in Jasper's. He was really reluctant to tackle his son's behavior so I have had to cut and rewrite a lot. I was also invaded at some point by Alice and Emmett. Hmph. Running them off took more time than it should have. Sometimes wrangling these Cullens is a real challenge.

Thanks for all the kind reviews. They are so greatly appreciated. Thanks goes out to Splinter, my bestest beta; yeah I know that's not a word, but it should be.

Well, there is a question as to will Jazzy run or won't he? I'm leaning toward no, considering that he has fulfilled his quota of drama for one chapter, but running in the future could be an option for our brave solider boy. What do y'all think?

Irish Gaelic lesson for the day:

Lig do scíth. ... Take a breather or calm down. Suaimhneas... "Calm" Go bog anois. ... "Easy there, now."

... so many ways to say pretty much the same thing...and Jasper doesn't understand a word of it. Oh well, maybe one day he'll figure at least some of his father's language out. At least Carlisle's tone let's him know that he is trying to soothe him instead of fussing at him.

To all who have their tickets for the movie Thursday night/Friday: Have fun! I'll be out there, too. Team Carlisle all the way! Got my shirt and all.


	9. Tough Love

Jasper had been alone in the study for a few minutes before he regained enough of his courage to allow him to move. First it was just to rub the sting out of his backside as he hissed softly, but then he pulled his jeans back up and left the safety of the corner that Carlisle had placed him in to wander over to the window. The sun was well down now behind the trees and the sky was a violet shade deepening into a midnight blue that struggled to hold the velvet black of night at bay.

As he looked out over the forest and the river beyond, a doe walked out of the tree line and into the yard drawing a low sad laugh from the boy. "Looks like Papa ordered delivery." As if she had heard him the blacktail leaped once and disappeared back into the thicket from which she had come.

He sighed quietly. It would be only too easy for him. Pop the latch on the window and disappear into the growing darkness just as the deer had done. Carlisle was giving him at least a good ten minute head start at this point. He could be in Canada before his defection was ever noticed, but then what would he do? He wouldn't be able to stay away. He would have to come back for Alice. His life had been incomplete before she found him and there was no way that he could imagine returning to that living hell.

His thumb rolled over the latch as his mind continued to wander rather aimlessly through various scenarios and their reasonable outcomes.

There really was no reason to run from Carlisle when he thought about it logically. He had heard of times that Emmett and Edward got it into their heads to avoid punishment by running away from their father. From the stories they had told, that never ended well at all. Carlisle regarded such acts as the utmost of disrespect and Jasper had to agree that their father had a point. Besides, Carlisle was a very reasonable man so what was the point in running away in the first place when he would willingly talk it out with you instead. Jasper felt certain that when his leader walked back through that door, if he voiced his rejection to his father's chosen punishment, Carlisle would find another method of dealing with his disobedience, but how? What would his superior deem to be a suitable correction for his actions?

Jasper narrowed his eyes as he pondered the imponderable. Would Carlisle cast him out if he didn't accept this punishment? That was the least that could be done to him in any other coven, but it seemed so remote within this one that it was nearly laughable. No, Carlisle was a creative individual; he would come up with something different and possibly too unique for Jasper to have ever considered. Some of the more simple options would be more chores, longer times on restriction, perhaps the permanent loss of his rocketbike or some repetitive task that would have to be done at the slow pace of a human for as long as it took for the lesson to sink in.

No, there was no sense at all in running when you can simply refuse and be offered another form of penance. Clearly Edward and Emmett had been more than a little stupid when they decided to run. Thankfully, Jasper was stubborn but he was a far cry from stupid. Then again...

He glanced over towards the loveseat and the paddle that still lay on the soft leather cushion. _Yep, that was damn stupid. A stupid that far surpasses trying to run away to avoid getting your tail whipped. Only a moron would make a paddle to be used on himself. That is taking cutting your own switch just a little too far, Whitlock. _He rubbed at the diminishing sting that was transforming itself into a deep dull throbbing pain and to think, that was from a short rather benign application. Jasper shuttered to think just how bad it would be if his father was really looking to lay into him. He wasn't sure if he could take much more of a paddling this evening, but he also knew that his sense of self and pride could not endure another hit like he had just taken. He had managed to humiliate himself with his carrying on. It was no wonder that his father had been upset with him. Jasper found that he was angry with himself for not being man enough to accept his punishment.

Though it was not possible, he could swear that he felt a chill race up his spine. The proud young Major, the trainer and second in command of the grand Mexican Coven, the vampire who had never lost a fight had shown himself to be a coward before his father and coven leader. Jasper growled in frustration. If he couldn't find a way to redeem himself, he feared that he would never be able to look his father in the eye ever again.

_What in the hell got into you anyway? Sure it hurt, but you've dealt with worse, so what the fuck? You are an embarrassment to this coven and yourself. You can and will do better when Carlisle comes back into this room. He deserves that much respect and you need to try to find some way to regain at least a fraction of your self respect. Whitlock, you should consider yourself lucky that Carlisle isn't completely disgusted with you. You know you would have been repulsed by the same unseemly behavior in an underling. Be grateful that he's a great deal more forgiving than you are because if he wasn't...  
_

"Jasper, I know that I didn't make this request verbally, but I thought that you would have realized that I wanted you to remain in that corner until I released you."

_Damn!_ Jasper had been too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice his father reenter the room. He closed his eyes and drew a breath before glancing back up at Carlisle with a slight nod. "I find the river and wilderness more relaxing than a blank wall. I shouldn't have moved without your permission, but I needed to quiet my mind enough to allow me to think."

"And have you done some thinking?" Carlisle crossed his arms as he leaned against the door frame.

"Yes, Sir." He averted his gaze. "I'm sorry, Papa. Obviously, I lost control of my faculties. I've dishonored you and disgraced myself. It won't happen again. I acted like an infant. There is even less of an excuse for what just happened here than there is for my earlier behavior at the hospital. I know that saying I'm sorry is pointless, but if you will allow it, I would like to start over with my punishment."

Jasper crossed over to the loveseat and picked up the discarded paddle. Taking a deep breath, he quickly brought it over to Carlisle before he had a chance to lose his nerve. Bowing his head humbly he presented the dreaded tool of his impending doom to his father.

Carlisle took the paddle and turned it over several times before striking his own palm lightly. Looking at the implement in his hand he spoke softly, "I should have started out slower and less harsh. That is the reason that you reacted as violently as you did." Looking back up at his son he continued to explain. "I need to make a stronger impression on you, but I still should have built up a bit more slowly. You obviously felt that you were under attack, or you would have never fought against me like you did. That failing was mine, Jasper, not yours."

"You did nothing wrong, Papa." Jasper let out a held breath. "I was the one acting the fool. We both know that I could have taken that with a helluva lot more dignity."

"Perhaps." Carlisle looked back down at the paddle and rolled it around once more before sighing softly. "If you struggle again, it would be better if my hands are free."

"I won't fight you again, Carlisle. I swear…"

Carlisle looked up into his son's eyes with a piercing expression that caused him to quiet down. "**IF** you struggle…." The elder slapped his hand with the paddle again a bit harder. After several moments of silence, Carlisle's gentle voice rang out with conviction. "Here is what we are going to do. As per your suggestion, we are going to start your punishment over."

Looking his boy up and down, the patriarch grumbled a bit to himself at the sight before him. "I am a little surprised and disappointed that you deemed it appropriate to redress."

Jasper shut his eyes tightly as he lowered his gaze and mentally castigated himself.

"You will lose those jeans as well as your boxers this time, Son then you will be spanked until I feel that you have reached the proper level of contrition." He paused for a moment to allow Jasper to fully digest his words before he reached his hand out to carefully tip the boy's head up to look into his eyes. "Then, you will bend over my desk for six strokes of your paddle before we will finally call this lesson truly learned."

Jasper's mind raced with this final decree of his sentence. He swallowed to dislodge the hard lump of venom impossibly lodged in his throat which hampered his breathing; his eyes never roving from his father's dark gaze.

"Do you understand what I've just told you, Jasper?"

The youth nodded.

Carlisle raised a brow. "You look like you have a question. I encourage you to ask it. I don't wish for there to be any misunderstandings."

Jasper coughed before nodding slightly. "You aren't going to use the paddle until the last few licks?"

"Not unless some reason arises that requires me to use more force and I don't foresee that occurring, do you?"

"No, Sir." Jasper, who could stand stone still for days at a time, shifted uncomfortably as he continued to consider his father's words.

Carlisle could tell that Jasper wasn't through with his inquiry so he waited patiently for his son to speak again.

Drawing a shaky breath, Jasper glanced down at the floor before whispering, "Will you be using your full strength behind the…. I mean used in close quarters like over your knee it's…but when you have full range of motion….?"

His father's stern expression softened as a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Reaching for Jasper, Carlisle placed a cupped hand on the back of the boy's neck and pulled him into a reassuring hug. "No, Jazz, I would never use my full strength to punish you. Don't ever let that be a concern."

With a light kiss to the crown of the boy's head, Carlisle released his boy and handed him the paddle. "Please, put this on the desk and then come join me over on the couch."

Forcibly clearing his throat, Jasper did as he was told and soon stood next to his father's right side with his head bowed.

"Jasper, I shouldn't have to tell you what to do," Carlisle chided softly. "Take them all the way off. It will simply make things easier."

With his hands shaking, Jasper unfastened his jeans for the second time in a day. Kicking his running shoes off and out of the way, he tugged his jeans down to puddle around his ankles then carefully stepped out of them. Quickly, he scooped his pants up and laid them over the arm of the loveseat. With a glance at his father he slipped his thumbs into the waistband of his shorts.

"That's alright, Jasper. You can leave them up for now." Carlisle patted his thigh. "Come on, Son."

Trembling, the solider inhaled deeply and steeled himself for the inevitable. The calm determination radiating off his leader helped bolster Jasper's confidence and he began to relax slightly. Some fragments of his childish fears lingered, but even those stubborn remnants were swiftly being swept away by the patriarch's authoritativeness. This was what had been missing. Jasper realized that his father had been questioning himself, but now that Carlisle appeared more comfortable in his conviction, Jasper no longer felt so anxious. The boy knew that his punishment wouldn't be any easier physically, but he felt safer under his father's control as he carefully took his place across Carlisle's knee.

The gentle hand that rubbed his back conveyed strength and power with its steady pressure, but Jasper also could feel a calming healing energy in the older man's touch.

"Jasper, are you alright?"

"Yes, Sir." He laid his head down in his arms as he relaxed a little further.

"I don't see any point in prolonging this, Son. I think we've postponed it long enough." Carlisle hooked his thumb in the waistband of Jasper's shorts and pulled them down to his knees in one easy motion. The boy shivered at the sudden exposure, but offered no resistance when Carlisle wrapped his arm firmly around his waist and tightened his grip.

"Remind me of what you are supposed to be doing right now, Son."

Jasper cleared his throat before answering quietly. "Reflecting on how I screwed up and how not to do it again."

"And how exactly did you screw up?"

"Picking a fight with some human scum and consciously deciding that I didn't need to obey you."

"That is not going to be tolerated any longer. You are about to find out just how serious I am about this."

Jasper inhaled deeply then nodded as a tear fell onto the cushion. "I know, Papa. I really do know."

The first swat of Carlisle's hand against Jasper's bare skin took the boy's breath away. He balled up his fists tightly, determined not to move or make a sound, but the next stroke caused his breath to escape through his teeth in a quiet hiss.

Jasper was quickly reminded that Carlisle didn't require a paddle or any other form of implement to make his displeasure abundantly clear. The burning sting had reignited across the soldier's behind quite quickly as the hard strokes fell fast and true. Despite his best efforts, the boy yelped and tried to twist his body to gain a moment's reprieve, but a low growl from his father made him suddenly freeze.

"Jasper."

Carlisle's voice was soft, but the firm reprimanding tone caused Jasper to shiver anxiously.

"I didn't mean to, Papa," he gasped through the burning pain as tears blurred his vision. "I won't do it again."

Carlisle let his hand come to rest on the back of his son's thigh, noting how the boy quickly tensed. With the lightest touch, he patted the boy's leg to reassure him as his own mind raced. Reaching for one of the throw pillows, the elder placed it in front of Jasper. "Hold on to that, Son. Maybe it will help."

"Momma won't be happy if I rip it."

A faint chuckle came from the patriarch as he ruffled Jasper's hair. "Somehow, I have the feeling that she will understand." Carlisle strengthened his hold on the boy's waist. "Ready?"

"No."

"Well that really is too bad." His hand crashed against Jasper's rump making the youth jump before he dug his fingers into the silky fabric of the pillow to hug it tight. Carlisle wasted no time in falling into a steady rhythm from which no inch of the boy's rear would escape.

The elder's heart ached when the first whimpers reverberated in Jasper's throat, but broke when his son's shoulders began to shake from silent tears. Through the stinging of his hand, Carlisle knew just how much his boy was suffering.

"Jasper, are we going to have to repeat this lesson?"

The southerner shook his head as he buried his face against the pillow to try to impede his tears.

"Was that a no, Son?"

Sniffling, Jasper choked out, "No, Sir. No repeat necessary."

Shifting the boy a little more forward to target the sensitive weight bearing area of his backside, Carlisle delivered several of his hardest strokes yet. "I expect you to honor that statement. You will not threaten Amanda's father and you will not disobey me like this again."

Jasper crossed his ankles and stiffened his body as he made one last stand against the searing pain before giving up his struggle. His will to fight completely exhausted, the soldier went limp across his father's lap as his tears quietly flowed.

A few more hard swats and Carlisle allowed his hand to lay idle against Jasper's thigh as the boy released his guilt, pain and frustration.

"I'm sorry, Papa." Jasper hiccuped as he battled for breath. "Sorry that I disrespect…."

"Sh. Breathe, Jazz. I know that you're sorry and I accept your apology. Right now though, I just need you to breathe and regain a bit of your composure. We're not done yet, but you need to settle a little before we conclude our lesson."

The youth groaned at the memory of what lay ahead. Taking several lungfuls of air, he fought back his tears and the thick venom that coated his throat. "Papa, I've learned my lesson."

"I don't doubt that you have, Son, but we're going to make sure that you retain it a bit better."

"But, Papa."

Carlisle loosened his restraining arm as he gave the boy a light whack on the rump. "If you can argue you must be recovered enough. Stand up, Jasper."

Jasper inhaled sharply at the gentle encouraging smack. Stiffly he rolled off his father's lap with some help from Carlisle then stood before the elder and gave him a pleading look. Carlisle simply shook his head.

"Son, I'm not going to change my mind. You might as well accept that fact and get a move on. The sooner you comply, the quicker this will all be behind you."

Jasper chewed on his bottom lip for a few seconds before muttering, "I don't think I can handle anything else behind me."

Carlisle smiled at the boy's comment then tipped his head towards the desk. "Go. I know you're up to the challenge. It will be over before you know it."

"Easy for you to say." Hobbled by his underwear, Jasper shuffled over to the broad desk and glanced at the paddle. _Damn, but this is going to hurt._ As he heard his father get up from the loveseat, Jazz leaned over slightly and placed his palms flat against the desktop. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the paddle disappear. _CRAP!_

Carlisle placed his hand between his son's shoulder blades and pressed gently. "Down, Jasper. Reach across to the other side and take a firm grip."

The boy looked back over his shoulder with fear shimmering in his eyes. "What if I break it?"

"You won't," Carlisle answered very simply with quiet conviction.

"But, what if I do?"

The patriarch sighed quietly as he placed the paddle back down. Stepping up close behind Jasper, he leaned into his son and reached around to grasp a wrist in each hand. Using the weight of his body, he pressed the boy down against the dark smooth wood as he stretched his arms out in front of him. Once Jasper's fingers had cleared the edge, Carlisle let go of his wrists and covered his hands, gently forcing his fingers to close on the wooden edge.

With his lips against Jasper's ear, Carlisle whispered, "If you break it then you'll get twelve licks instead of six. If I were you, I would do my best not to close my hands any tighter."

As his father released him and stepped away, Jasper narrowed his eyes and growled softly.

Carlisle was reaching for the paddle when he heard the low rumbling sound. Whipping back around towards his prone boy, he demanded softly, "Did you just growl at me, boy?"

"No, Sir."

"That sounded like a growl."

"It was, Sir, but it was not directed at you. I growled at myself for getting into this predicament."

"Hmm," Carlisle cocked an eyebrow, but let Jasper's explanation stand. Taking up the paddle, he lined it up against his boy's rear. "Alright, Jasper, you're looking at six strokes unless you break my desk. I don't want you to let go and I don't want to see either of your feet leave the floor. Understand?"

"Yes, Papa." Jasper placed his cheek against the wood as he tried to keep his grip with as little pressure as possible. The Calvary Officer suddenly found religion and began to pray for the desk's survival more than his own. He felt the rubber leave his skin and shuddered as he prayed more vehemently. With a whoosh of air rushing before it, the paddle came down on his quivering rump… with a light stinging tap which faded as quickly as it struck.

"I think I would like you to count them down, Son. That way you know how many you have left to endure."

Jasper blinked rapidly. "Umm." He shifted his weight as he began to lift his head when his father's stern voice stopped him.

"Jasper Whitlock Hale Cullen, don't you dare get up until I tell you. Now, what was that count?"

"Umm… six?"

"Brace yourself, boy." Carlisle let the paddle fly again bringing it down on the opposite cheek with a light stinging tap.

"Five, Pa?"

"You're doing well, Son. Keep it up and make me proud."

The following strokes matched the first perfectly and as confused as Jasper was, he found himself beginning to relax as the aged cool dark hardwood offered its support.

"Two, Papa."

"Alright, Jazz, only one left. Now remember, feet stay on the floor and don't let go of the desk."

"Yes, Sir. It will be a struggle, but I'll try my best."

The sound of the impact caused the windows to rattle. Somehow, Jasper managed to hold onto the very edge of the desk with his fingertips. "Holy, SH…"

"Language, Jasper. Unless you are looking for more, of course."

"No, SAH!"

Carlisle nodded. "I didn't hear my count on that last stroke. Maybe it wasn't firm enough to register. Should I repeat it for you?"

"ONE, SAH! ONE!"

"Alright, Major Whitlock. You may stand up and return your boxers back to their upright position."

Fresh unshed tears glinted in Jasper's eyes. "Permission to rub, Sah?"

Carlisle chuckled as he toyed with the paddle. "Granted, Son."

Jasper eased his underwear back up then carefully rubbed at the vicious sting trying his best to ease it.

His father gave him a few seconds to compose himself then cleared his throat to gain the boy's attention. As Jasper glanced up, Carlisle held the paddle out to him. "Please return this to where you found it."

"With pleasure." The boy snatched the implement from his father's hand and darted around the desk to deposit it back in the drawer. Securing the lock he removed the key and returned the key ring to Carlisle.

"Thank you, Jasper now come sit down with me for a few minutes."

Jasper blinked rapidly. "With all due respect, Papa, you have got to be kidding."

Carlisle gave the boy a pointed look. "I assure you that I am not. Consider it just part of your punishment. You will survive."

"Papa."

"Jasper, would you rather have us go down stairs and have a seat in the kitchen to finish up our talk?"

The boy's mind snapped right to a vision of the hard oak chairs and he shook his head.

"I didn't think so." Carlisle walked over to the couch and sat down while the Major hemmed and hawed for a few moments before finally giving in and carefully perching on the edge of the cushion with a grimace.

"Son, would you like to put your jeans back on?"

He shook his head. "Not yet, Papa, if that's okay. I know I should get dressed, but..."

"It's okay. I understand. There is no rush. Get dressed when you're ready, but do get dressed before leaving the office, please." Carlisle patted his boy's thigh and drew an easy breath before he spoke softly. "Jasper, those last six strokes with the paddle were for your disobedience. I decided to give you a break this one time. Should there ever be another incident like this, all the strokes you earn will be delivered just like the last one. I want you to be clear on that. This is the only time you will get a pass like this."

Jasper ran his hand through his hair as he turned his attention towards the floor. "Papa, you said that you would never use your full strength to punish me."

"That's correct."

"Then why did you go back on that?"

Carlisle's forehead furrowed in confusion. "I didn't, Jasper."

"That last lick…."

"Was given at about half of my strength; maybe a little less."

Jasper lifted his head and looked at his father in shock. Peering into the older man's topaz eyes, Jasper saw no joking humor reflected there; Carlisle was in earnest. Swallowing hard, the young blonde quickly glanced down again. "Thank you."

With a soft sigh, Carlisle caught his son's chin and raised his head. A film of venom still coated his eyes as he tried to blink it away before more tears could escape. "For what, Jazz?"

"For giving me a second chance, though I don't even know that I can count as high as the number of chances you really have already given me. I am sorry that I'm such a screw up. I'm like a rabid animal that should be put down, but you keep trying to find a cure for me."

"Come here, Son." Carlisle opened his arms and invited Jasper into his embrace. The southerner wasted little time in accepting his father's forgiveness and affection. "Major, you listen to me, and you better listen well. If you utter one more disparaging remark about yourself, you'll find yourself foaming at the mouth like a rabid animal, but ivory soap will be the cause."

Jasper cuddled into Carlisle's neck as he absorbed the older man's paternal love and concern, enjoying the rare moment of calming quiet. A slight smile formed on Jasper's lips as he realized that he would never come to any harm in his father's coven and care.

"I also have no problem flipping you back over my knee if you need another dose to straighten you out."

Well, at least no lasting harm. "That won't be necessary, Papa."

"I do hope not." Carlisle raked his fingers through his son's hair slowly as Jasper closed his eyes and curled up a little tighter.

The elder rocked his son slightly as he reassured the boy in soft quiet tones while he hummed an ancient lullaby. To a casual observer, it would appear that Jasper had fallen asleep in his father's arms as he finally allowed himself to fully relax.

"Go bog anois, lig do scíth seal," Carlisle whispered. "Shhhh. It's all over. Your debt has been paid in full and you're forgiven."

While his father made another pass through his pale locks, Jasper took a deep healing breath. "Papa?"

"Hm?"

"You do realize that I have no idea what in the hell you are saying when you switch languages, right?"

"Does it matter?"

The boy shrugged. "No, not really. Guess it is just all in the tone anyway."

Carlisle smiled. "Maybe one of these days I'll teach you. Being well rounded is a good thing."

"As long as you teach me how to curse in your language, I guess that would be okay."

"You expect me to teach you phrases that I don't want you to use anyway," he asked in an incredulous tone.

"Why not?"

Carlisle shook his head then kissed the crown of Jasper's head. "We'll see, but for now, young man, you need to feed."

"I hunted yesterday. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. The stress that you've been under is burning through the blood in your system at an accelerated rate. Your skin should have at least taken on a faint pink tone, but it didn't. You're running low. After you spend some time with Alice and rest a bit, I want you to go out and hunt.

You're running on empty , Son, and that is probably why you're having a bit more trouble controlling yourself. You may not be feeling your thirst yet, but you seriously need to hunt and will do so. I won't take no for an answer." Carlisle's quietly caressing voice took on a firmer tone that Jasper would not be able to refuse.

With a nod Jasper gave in. "Whatever you say, Papa. You'll get no arguments from me."

Carlisle smiled as he ruffled his boy's hair. "Well that's good to hear, Jasper. Now, why don't you go head to your room. Alice will be home any moment and I'm certain she'll be looking to find you there. If you're still in here with me, she will expect the worst."

"Yes, Sir." Extracting himself from his father's embrace, Jasper got to his feet and grabbed his jeans. He groaned at the idea of the heavy fabric brushing his rear and gave his father his most pitiful expression.

"Go on and get out of here. If you hurry and get to your room, you don't have to put them on."

The solider gave Carlisle a lopsided smile and a quick,"Thanks, Papa" before rushing out the study door and disappearing towards his room.

Hearing the bedroom door across the hallway close, Carlisle leaned back and sunk a bit into the thick leather cushioned back of the little couch. Rubbing his eyes as he tried to relax, he gave a contented sigh. "I don't care to do that again any time soon. What a day from hell. I just thank God that this one is finally over. Tomorrow has to be better."

* * *

**AN:** Well, Carlisle better not get too comfortable too soon, because I hate to tell him but it's hardly over. ;-)

I hope I managed to explain Jasper's odd behavior in the last chapter well enough in this one. That did seem to come as a shock for most folks. What can I say? The solider is not far from perfect, but we all have our moments and besides... that had to have hurt like hell.

I was asked why I have Carlisle slip into Gaelic. The short answer to that is because I think too much. LOL

Since Carlisle has an insatiable quest for knowledge, I figure that he is probably fluent in a good many languages. I go with Gaelic, because I believe that one of the first things he would have done in trying to learn everything he can, would be to research his own history. I don't have any sort of background on his mother, which would have been preferred, so I have to go with his father. While he lived in London, he most likely immigrated from Ireland. Cullen is an Irish name. Currently it is mostly encountered around Dublin, but it originated from the Irish West (Galway to Cork) which is where Gaelic is still a living language. I have friends from Galway for whom Gaelic is actually their first language. Sooo.. anyway, I figured that it would be one of the first things that he would have learned.

...and I wanted to have something a little different for him to slip into when he is stressed instead of just his British accent. ;-)

Thanks for all the encouragement, reviews, pms, and questions. Each and every one of them make my day. Thanks to my wonderful beta reader Splinter for putting up with me... and trying to deal with all the wonderful mistakes that the Typo Queen can make at 2am.

The next chapter should give Jazz and Carlisle a little down time, but then it's going to be a really bumpy ride so hang on.


	10. Can it Get Any Worse

"I just don't know what to do with him, Esme. I'm at my wits end right now." Carlisle laid stretched out on the couch with his mate curled up in his arms as she flipped through the channels on the television before settling on an old black and white movie.

"You said that Jasper acknowledged his error. You're just going to have to trust that he has learned his lesson."

"I want to and that usually isn't a problem, but in this one instance he just keeps proving exceedingly stubborn. By the time he is willing to listen to reason, he has already crossed the line. What if I'm not there to stop him when it happens again?"

Esme rolled over until she was lying on top of her mate and stared lovingly into his eyes to catch a glimpse of his tormented soul. "You can't allow yourself to think that way, my love. It's not a case of 'when' it happens but 'if' it happens again. You have to think positively or you'll set Jasper up to fail. He's a smart young man. He'll do the right thing, he has just needed a bit more … encouragement this time than he usually does."

He made a move to protest but his words were cut off before they could fully form by his wife's sweet lips pressing against his. For the length of their kiss, Carlisle was granted a reprieve from his troubling thoughts. For just a moment, the world around him ceased to exist because Esme was his world.

Breaking the kiss and pulling slightly back, his wife smiled at Carlisle's dazed expression.

"Damn, you wily woman and your magic. My father would have seen you hanged."

Esme giggled as she stroked her mate's thick pale hair. "I dare say that he would have done the same to you."

With a soft sigh, Carlisle shook his head. "No. He would have had me drawn and quartered or burnt at the stake. That was the general treatment of unnatural beasts."

Esme rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, how beastly you are, Doctor Carlisle Cullen."

"You don't find me dangerous, woman?"

Giving a short laugh, his mate smiled sweetly. "You are as harmless as a newborn kitten."

"Ah, but kittens are born with sharp claws." With a roguish spark in his amber eyes, Carlisle grabbed a hold of his mate and flipped her around until he had her pinned beneath him. He nipped at the side of her neck before trailing kisses along her pale shoulder while a deep rumbling purr reverberated in his chest.

Esme closed her eyes as she lost herself in her husband's attention only to suddenly become aware of a strange sensation.

"Carlisle, are you... vibrating?"

Reluctantly removing his lips from her flawless silky skin he paused for a moment then closed his eyes as he groaned in frustration. "No. Not now."

Shoving his hand into the pocket of his slacks, the doctor withdrew his cell phone.

"Let it go to voice mail," his mate suggested in a lusty tone.

The doctor whined, sounding more like his children than their leader, as he checked the number. "I can't. It's the hospital."

"Being a doctor's wife is so very glamorous," Esme sighed as her husband slid off of her to sit down at her feet.

Putting her feet in his lap, his mate went back to channel surfing until a light touch to the sole of her foot caused her to withdraw it with a loud squeal.

"Ssh, woman. Control yourself. I'm on the phone."

Still giggling, Esme kicked Carlisle in the side and was rewarded by the sound of his breath rushing out in a huff.

"Oh just you wait until I'm done with this phone call, young lady. You will pay dearly for that." He rubbed his side as he glared at his mate.

"Promises. Promises."

He was reaching for her flailing foot when a voice came on the line. Instantly, Carlisle morphed into Doctor Cullen, the incessant professional.

"Calm down, Gloria. What's going on?" His features rapidly darkened. "No, don't do anything. I understand, but I don't want you... Listen to me. I want you to call Stan. Get him there to handle things and tell him that I'm on my way. I want you to ... Gloria, you shouldn't even... No, I don't want... Gloria!" His voice, while still soft, was suddenly stern and commanding. "You listen to me, young lady. Good. Take yourself to the lounge. I will check on you just as soon ... I don't care. I am your supervisor and you will do... Gloria. Let Stan handle it until I arrive. I'll call Charlie Swan from the car and have him meet me there. Under no circumstance are you to go back to that room. Have I made myself clear? Good. I will be there as soon as I can. I'm leaving my house right now. Alright, I'll see you soon and I expect... Oh for the love... You're worse than my son, do you know that? Fine, but if I find you in that... Gloria!"

He looked at his wife as he quickly pocketed his phone and finished putting his shoes back on. "Why is it that the best people are also the worse when it comes to taking direction?"

"Trouble?"

He nodded. "I don't want to say anything right now, but I'll call you with the details." Leaning over he gently kissed his wife before grabbing his car keys off the table and rushing out the door.

Watching him go, Esme sighed softly. All she could hope for was that everything would work out. She knew that Jasper would regain his self-control given enough time. Now she had to hope that they had the luxury of time for that to effectively occur.

Settling back down to watch her movie she let her mind wander to places she wouldn't when she was in Carlisle's presence. What would they do in a worst case scenario? Other clans didn't have to worry so much about covering their tracks. Naturally they had to be weary of humans, but most moved on before their activities could become problematic. Her family's lifestyle kept them in closer proximity to humans so their actions were always under scrutiny, forcing them to be more careful.

Running her hands through her hair, Esme sunk into the throw pillow that cradled her head. _Oh, Jasper. If something would go wrong what could we do? What would you do?_

Obviously, the first step would be to destroy any and all evidence of foul play. Modern forensics made that a bit more difficult than in days long gone by, but there were still methods. Of course they would have to move, but it would have to be done in such a way that their departure wouldn't seem suspicious. _A disappearance or murder followed by an entire family vanishing…yep, not a thing odd in that. College for Emmett and Rosalie. Private prep schools for Edward and Alice. Military school for Jasper to whip his troubled behind back into shape. A new job opportunity for Carlisle that he simply can't afford to pass up. Maybe a move out of the country this time for a real change of scenery. I could go back to school and study architecture in Paris. We haven't been there for quite some time. _

Esme rubbed her temples as the ideas continued to ebb and flow. The matriarch felt a sudden anger rise within her; anger directed towards herself.

_What are you doing? You're acting like this is Providence. Did you, or did you not just tell Carlisle that he had to stay positive? Jasper hasn't done anything. There is no reason to believe that he will. He is a good boy; an intelligent young man. He knows what is at risk here. You have to put your faith in him to make the right decisions. _

"Mama, where's Daddy? I need to talk to him right now." Alice's voice shocked Esme back to reality.

"He'll be back in a little while, sweetheart. He had an emergency call from the hospital, but it shouldn't take him long to clear things up over there. Can it wait?"

Alice shook her head vehemently. "No, it can't. I need him now. He needs to come back home. **This** is an emergency."

"What's wrong, Alice?" Esme sat up, giving her daughter her full attention.

"It's Jazzy."

Esme's eyes widened. "What about Jazz?"

"He's gone." Alice wrung her hands and began to pace as the desire to do something, anything, became too great. "I was clearing some space in the closet and when I turned back around he was just gone."

Esme felt as if her heart had risen into her throat. "Maybe he just went for a hunt. That is something your father told him to do."

Alice nodded. "That's what I'm afraid of."

There was no need for her daughter to elaborate on exactly what she feared her mate was out hunting. Esme took Alice's hand and pulled her down onto the couch next to her. Wrapping her little girl in a firm hug, Esme tried her best to comfort Alice. "We don't know that anything is wrong. His thirst may have just gotten the better of him and he went out after some deer. The stress that he has been under is putting a strain on his reserves." She ran her fingers through her baby's short dark hair. "You can't see what he is up to?"

Venom tears rolled down Alice's cheeks as she once again shook her head. "He's not thinking coherently. It might not be anything, but it feels like he is intentionally not focusing to keep me in the dark. Jazz has never blocked me before. He's never even tried to. Why would he do that if he wasn't…."

"Sh. Don't even think that, Alice. There is a reason that he has never blocked you before. It's simply not in him to try to be deceitful. I'm sure he doesn't realize that he has blocked you. He must just be confused for some reason and once he settles down, you'll be able to see…."

"No," a quiet voice rang out from the stairwell.

Both Esme and Alice lifted their heads to find Edward standing against the banister with his hands shoved deeply in his pockets as he hung his head low in concentration. "I can't hear him clearly either. He has a loop of gibberish going on so I can't tell what he is thinking or seeing for that matter. Jasper doesn't want us to know what he is doing and I can't even get a clear enough reading on him to know where he is."

Edward lifted his head and directed his gaze towards his mother. "Dad needs to know. I don't know if Jasper is heading towards the hospital or not, but Dad should be prepared in case he does show up there."

"Why would he go there in the first place?" Apprehension had crept into Esme's tone with the addition of Edward's observations.

"It's the girl's father." Edward shook his head as he tried to hang onto the thread of Carlisle's thoughts before his father was completely out of range. "He showed up at the hospital and has caused some sort of a scene. Dad is furious and worried. It seems that one of the nurses may have been hurt when she tried to stop this guy and that is just making Dad angrier."

"Well now, facing off with an angry Pops is not going to be in that human's best interest. How dumb can you be? I wouldn't want to be in his shoes, but I'm willing to put cold hard cash down on Pops. Anybody wanna a piece of the action? Place your bets."

Esme glanced over her shoulder to see Emmett and Rosalie standing just inside the archway into the kitchen. Rose had been working on Edward's car so she and Emmett would have known if Jasper had taken his bike or one of the cars. Esme released her breath at that thought. _At least he's on foot. That should make it a little easier to track him down._

The matriarch sighed heavily before she sprang into action.

"Rosalie, would you and Em please see if you can figure out which way Jasper went? Edward, since you are the only one who is faster than Jazz, I would appreciate it if you would go with Rose and Emmett. Hopefully he hasn't made it too far yet." She glanced at her worried little girl before continuing. "I have the feeling that once you find him, he is not going to want to come back. Em, do whatever you have to do to bring him home safe."

"You've got it, Momma. We'll bring him back home if I have to tie him up and throw him over my shoulder like a pig in a sack."

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's a lovely image, Emmett. You could have foregone the apple in the mouth though."

Emmett smirked as he took Rose's hand and headed towards the door.

Alice spoke up quickly. "I want to go, too. He would be more willing to come to me than anyone else."

"Baby, I need you to stay here with me so I know what's going on. I need you to keep track of the others so we can relay information along to your father."

"But, Momma, Jazzy needs me to find him."

Taking her daughter's hands in her own, Esme spoke in a firm calm voice. "Alice, Jazz needs you to stay here where you'll be the most help in resolving this episode quickly. Your father and I need to know everything that is going on and you're the only one who can effectively keep us in the loop. Please do this for me…and for Jazz."

Releasing her unneeded breath, Alice nodded.

"Alright! Come on, Eddie. Let's go out and find ourselves a deserting rebel solider." Rosalie slapped her mate's shoulder hard causing him to grimace as she growled out his name. "Ow! What did I say?"

"Emmett!" Alice looked at her brother with an expression of shock and disgust.

"I was just joking, Ali Girl. You know, trying to lighten the mood is all."

"Well, don't joke like that. It would hurt Jazzy's feelings to hear you say that sort of thing."

Esme patted Alice's knee as she addressed her son. "Em, behave yourself or you'll answer to me. Now see what you can do. Start out in the direction of the hospital and try to pick up his trail. I'm certain your father will join you as soon as he possibly can."

"Yes, Momma. Come on, Babe. Eddie. Let the Cullen Clan Rescue commence." With that the three siblings were out of the door in a flash set on bringing their wayward brother home.

As she watched them disappear, Esme sighed then grabbed her phone and punched in Carlisle's number. When his phone went straight to voice mail she recalled him saying something about having to call the chief of police once he was on his way to the hospital.

"Carlisle, we have what might be an emergency situation. Jasper has gone missing. Edward, Rose and Emmett are out tracking him, but we think that he might be heading your way. Call me as soon as you can. Be careful and make sure that both of you stay safe. Love you and hope to see you and my little boy soon."

Ending the call Esme turned to find her daughter once again in silent tears. "Oh, Ali. It's going to be okay."

"You can't know that. I don't even know that."

"I do know, because with Rose and the boys out looking for Jazz it's only a matter of time before they find him. If for some reason they can't catch up to him, your father will get to him before he can do anything rash. No one is going to let anything happen to Jasper. They'll bring him back home safe and sound."

Opening her arms and taking Alice into her loving embrace, Esme rocked the girl gently as she rested her cheek on top of her daughter's head. "It's going to be okay, baby. You'll see. Everything is going to be alright." _If I can only convince myself of that…. _

* * *

Jasper drew deep breaths of the cold night air out of nothing more than habit. With his venom flowing like adrenaline through his body, the solider felt as though he was still alive.

He was a man on a mission; a man possessed. Hearing the fragmented call to his father was all it took to stoke the fires of revenge. He had to protect little Amanda and now he was also fueled by the additional need to deal this cretin a dose of justice for harming his father's friend and Jasper's own most trusted ally at the hospital, Nurse Gloria.

_How dare he lay a finger on that woman? Is there no end to how low this scum will stoop? I will learn him to never touch a woman like that again, even if I have to break his hands to do it. Your worst nightmare is about to come true, you worthless lowlife__._

As Jasper raced through the woods a familiar sound caressed his sensitive ears. His father's car was barreling down the road in his direction.

Thinking quickly, the youth took to the trees well out of his father's field of vision. Jasper did not need any confirmation from his beloved or her visions as to just how Carlisle would react to his disobedience. The moment that he stepped out of his bedroom window, he knew that he had sealed his fate, but not even the constant throbbing pain in his backside could deter him from his path.

_It is easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. _He snorted as he clung to a limb and watched the sleek black car speed by below. As if Carlisle would have given him the go ahead to put this contemptible swine out of his and everyone else's misery.

This wasn't even bloodlust. Jasper had no intention of feeding from the man. He would give the sadistic fiend much more than he deserved; a swift clean death. Hayford deserved to suffer long for his crimes against his child and spouse and Jasper would like nothing better than to oblige him, but there wouldn't be time for that and his father would most certainly frown on 'messy.'

A quick snap of the neck and a conveniently placed ladder was all he needed to make it look like an accident. No chance of exposure for his family. No fear of retribution from the law; be it human or vampire. Hayford would be just another frail human being who had sadly succumb to an unfortunate and very natural appearing end.

As the sound of Carlisle's car faded, Jasper smiled maliciously. If he was quick about it and was cautious enough, he even stood a chance of not having his father find out. Perhaps he could eliminate the brute, thereby doing the world a favor, and still manage to keep his hide intact.

He crouched on the broad limb a little longer as his mind raced. With Carlisle heading towards his workplace and Jasper's need to make this appear to be an accident, the hospital was most certainly out of the question. Jasper chewed on his bottom lip as he formulated a plan.

_The most dangerous place for a human, apart from in the presence of a vampire, is in their own home. _

He shifted though his flawless memory to find the statistics then searched for another bit of information. Earlier, when Carlisle had handed him Amanda's chart Jasper had taken note of the listed home address. By his recollection she lived down on the end of Huckleberry Lane. That would be easy enough to find. Jasper nodded to himself as his smile broadened while his plan took shape.

_Let Papa handle him at the hospital and kick his punk ass out. That jackass thinks he's fearless. I'll give him something to fear before I snuff his life out for good. Maybe I can't prolong your death, but I can make sure as hell that you see it coming. Just one demon taking out another and keeping the Universe in balance. You've got a load of karmic debt to pay, boy, and I'm going to be waiting to collect._

A distant sound of snapping branches and the calling out of his name brought Jasper out of his thoughts as his head whipped around to pin point the direction of the sounds. His family was looking for him. If they were to find him, he would not be able to complete his mission.

Knowing that his scent would be harder to track through the upper levels of the trees, Jasper took to the canopy as he leaped from tree to towering tree in a roundabout direction to confuse his would be rescuers. Only once he felt certain that his siblings would be left wandering in circles, did he strike off towards town to locate the Hayford house where he would lay in ambush for his prey.

Jasper walked up Huckleberry and as expected easily located his destination. Even had he not had the benefit of knowing the address, the man's stench left a trail so heavy that it was almost visual. He smelled of musky sweat, beer, tobacco, sawdust and sap. The entire area reeked of his offensive odor, but as Jasper drew near the house the scent grew nearly overpowering.

The solider slunk into the deep shadows as he stalked towards the house. Silent death slipped near the door of the little white clapboard, carefully listening for sounds of the living inside. He could hear the slow deep breathing of a human secure in the clutches of sleep. Inhaling deeply, he caught the light scent of jasmine and spice that was uniquely Sara Hayford. He continued to scan the house, but Sara appeared to be the only occupant.

Satisfied that he had beaten Franklin Hayford back to his home, Jasper climbed up onto the garage and settled in to wait.

* * *

"Mr. Hayford, I'm asking you nicely to leave. Now, either you can remove yourself from these premises or I can cuff you, toss you in the back of my squad car and you can spend the night behind bars. Choice is all yours, but you better decide fast because it's late and this is a very limited time offer."

Carlisle leaned against the door frame with his arms folded as he monitored the interaction between Chief Swan and Franklin Hayford. Though he was a peaceful man, he had to admit that he would not have minded seeing Charlie haul Amanda's father away.

"He said that I was banned for the day. It's after midnight. That makes this the next day and I'm here to take my daughter home." The large man bowed up at Charlie Swan doing his best to intimidate the police chief.

"That is incorrect, Mr. Hayford." Carlisle stated plainly. "I stated that you were banned for twenty four hours. Since I did not institute the ban at midnight, your twenty four hours are not yet up."

"That's bullshit!"

"Hey!" Charlie glared at the belligerent Hayford. "You take it down. There is no call for that sort of language, especially around a child; an injured child who should be asleep instead of being subjected to this garbage." When it appeared that the man was not going to continue with his outburst Charlie went on. "Now, Doctor Cullen says that your twenty four hours aren't up. You leave now or, one, I'll run you in and, two, I'll tack on another twenty four hours myself."

"You can't keep my daughter from me."

"I've got CPS on speed dial. One call from me and you'll be lucky if you see your daughter in a month. Got it? Good. Now go and have a good night and let this little girl get the rest she needs." Putting his hand against the man's shoulder, Charlie shoved him towards the door and out into the hallway. "I'm not big on repeating myself, Hayford. Get out of here. You can come back…" The Chief glanced at Carlisle. "What time did this ban start?"

"Around ten thirty this morning."

"You can come back at three pm. No earlier. If I hear of you causing any more disturbances, your butt is behind bars. It's up to you, Dude. Tomorrow afternoon or twenty four in a cell. I know what I would pick."

Cursing under his breath, Franklin stormed towards the door and disappeared into the night.

Carlisle rubbed his eyes then looked at the police chief with a grateful expression. "I'm sorry to have to drag you out here at this time of night to deal with something like this."

"It's alright, Doctor Cullen. Dumbasses don't exactly keep banker's hours." Charlie glanced over at the little girl watching quietly from her bed. "Oh. Um, yeah. I'm sorry about that. Don't repeat that sort of language. Okay?"

Amanda nodded.

Heaving a sigh, Carlisle walked over to the bed and gently lifted Amanda back up toward the top. Sitting her upright, he quickly arranged her pillows before laying her back against them. "Young lady, I want you to go to sleep. What have I told you?"

"I heal faster when I sleep."

Smiling, the doctor ruffled her hair. "Still the only person around here who listens to me. Not even my nurse listens as well as you do. Now try to relax. It's well past your bedtime."

"But, I don't feel tired." In spite of her words, Amanda yawned as she rubbed her eyes.

"Yes, I can see that. Well, little one, I want you to at least try to get some sleep for me. If you find that you're still having trouble sleeping, I can send in a nurse with a shot that is guaranteed to help make you drowsy."

"Oh, no, Doctor Cullen. I don't need that. I'm feeling drowsy already." Rolling over on her side, she snuggled into the pillows and closed her eyes.

Carlisle smiled as he picked her stuffed pony up off the floor and tucked in next to her. "Good night, little miss. I'll see you in the morning."

"With Jasper?" Amanda opened one eye to peer at Carlisle while she hugged her horse close.

He nodded. "With Jasper."

Flicking off the back light, Carlisle ushered Charlie out of the room and closed the door behind them.

As they walked down the hall towards the door, a lazy smile came to Charlie's face. "I can see why you have so many kids. You're good with them. Wish I had that magic touch."

Carlisle chuckled. "There is no magic in child rearing, but there is the need for a great deal of patience."

"Oh, as a little one, my Bells could try the patience of a saint."

"Surely your daughter is not so bad as that."

"Oh, she can be and her mother has not really set the best example. It's more like Bella is raising Renee instead of the other way around."

Carlisle smiled gently. "That can happen. They grow up very fast these days and certainly know more than we ever did at their age."

"You've got that straight."

As they walked out into the parking lot Carlisle shook Charlie's hand. "Thank you again for helping out with our little problem."

"Anytime, Doctor Cullen."

"Please. It's Carlisle."

Charlie nodded. "Carlisle."

The doctor leaned against his car as he watched the police unit pull out of the parking lot and speed off down the highway. "Good night, Charlie and good luck with your little girl."

If he didn't know that it was impossible, Carlisle would have sworn that he was completely physically and mentally exhausted. All he wanted now was to get home and finally find relaxation in his wife's arms.

Fumbling in his pocket for his keys, Carlisle suddenly remembered having heard the phone beep at him when he was talking to Charlie. In all of the confusion he had forgotten to check it until now. "Fine example you're setting for your children. How can you fuss at them for not answering your calls if you don't answer theirs?"

As he slid behind the steering wheel he withdrew his phone and keyed in the password for his voice mail. As soon as he heard his mate's voice, all pretense of exhaustion vanished. "Jasper? Oh no. Can it get any worse?"

Follow up voice mails gave him updates as to the areas that his children had covered in their search, but they hadn't yet been able to locate his obstinate boy. Unfortunately, that negated the idea that he was out hunting since surely they would have found him by now. _Where are you, Jasper and what are you up to?_

Closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, Carlisle ran though other potential places his son might go. _At least he had the good sense not to come to the hospital and confront Hayford so that's a blessing. Now if only…._ Carlisle's eyes snapped open. _Hayford. No, Jasper wouldn't do something like that. He couldn't._

Deciding that he could get there faster on foot, Carlisle jumped out of his car and ran in the direction of Huckleberry Lane all the while praying hard that he would get there before it was too late.

* * *

**AN:** Jazzy took me to a really dark place. Apparently, I am much more comfortable with Carlisle's beast than I am with Jasper's vampire self. For now, I'm going to blame the Redbull. Haven't had any in a week or so. Yesterday I was downing a big can, and... well you see what came of that. Of course it still might just be Jazz's feral self. Must have been a real force to reckon with back in Maria's Army. No wonder he never lost a fight. o.O

I know I was trying to cover a lot of ground in a small amount of space, but I hope it worked out alright.

Much love and many thanks to everyone following along with my various ramblings. I have several more ideas bouncing around in my head, but fear not, I am sticking with this one exclusively at least for a couple more chapters since I know where I need to get it before I'm happy. Of course that means the updates should come sooner...as long as the holidays don't kick my butt.

Reviews make me squee and keep me motivated.

A world of thanks to Splinter for her selfless courage in once again tackling a chapter that I send her at ... well it's just after 3 am now. *rolls eyes* ...and I wonder why I'm always tired at work. Pfft.


	11. When Vampires Attack

Jasper crouched lower against the slanted metal roof to better mask his silhouette as he watched an old beat up blue pickup rattling up the deserted street. Venom, born out of sweet anticipation, pooled in his mouth and oozed passed his lips while his unsuspecting prey drew ever closer. Now that the man was within his sight, the boy's vampire nature was beginning to come to the forefront. If anyone had been around they would witness the change coming over him. There was a savagery reflected in his black eyes that was usually kept safely hidden even from himself; a ruthlessness that forced away all pretense of the tamed monster facade that he was obliged to hide behind.

A viciousness stirred deep within demanding a total annihilation of this foe who advanced towards him so blindly in the darkness. The sweet siren song of hot human blood continued to fall on deaf ears, but the desire to grant an easy death was swiftly fading.

Jasper wanted to see this man suffer as his life was slowly and ruthlessly extinguished. He wanted to hear his screams and pleas for mercy; a mercy that would never be granted as long as he clung to his pitiful life. The only mercy the vampire's victim would find would come in the merciful nothingness of death, the thought of which caused a growl of pleasure to roll in Jasper's chest.

Beneath the scents of oil, grease and gas, the solider detected the stench of the human he sought which caused him to quiver with delight. Soon the vile thing would be within his grasps; soon it would know the meaning of justice and retribution for its heinous deeds.

The pickup truck pulled off of the road and slowly rolled towards the garage, it's occupant completely ignorant of the growing danger. Jasper's cruel smile grew with the knowledge that he had chosen the perfect perch from which to launch his attack. Had there still been a merciful thought in the vampire's head, death would have come on swift wings and the human would part from this life before he hit the ground. Unfortunately for Franklin Hayford the idea of such kindness was nothing more than a faded memory lost to the recesses of Jasper's mind. Backing up ever so slightly, his muscles compressed like a coiled spring as he prepared to pounce on his prey.

All of Jasper's attention locked on the driver's side of the truck as he willed the occupant to exit and face his final fate. A deep rumbling growl settled in his throat and his cool breath ceased to flow. The vampire waited as motionlessly as a decorative gargoyle poised on an ancient cathedral ready for its chance to do battle with a force of evil far greater than himself.

The rusty metal hinge of the door protested as Franklin Hayford shoved the heavy door open and stepped out of the confining cabin into the chilly night air. A shiver ran through him though he would be hard pressed to explain the reason why.

Shifting his weight to the balls of his feet, Jasper leaned forward and waited as his opponent closed off his only potential escape route by shutting the door. The heavy stench of the man's sweat and the slow loud thundering of his heart inflamed the vampire's rage to greater heights.

A guttural yowl shattered the calm silence of the night as Jasper kicked off from the roof, but his flight was cut short as powerful hands gripped his ankle firmly and pulled him backward to crash down onto the tin surface. The vampire tried to yank his trapped limb clear of the vise like grip, but the hold on him only grew firmer. Turning to face his assailant, the boy snarled viciously before kicking out with his free leg. The heel of his heavy boot glanced off his attacker's temple, but collided forcibly with his jaw while Jasper continued to struggle to free himself.

The painful blow stunned Carlisle momentarily giving his son enough time to break free. Black eyes narrowed and lips curled back exposing his teeth as Jasper growled out a warning to the intruder. This kill was his alone and he would tolerate no interference.

Rubbing his quickly mending jaw, the elder tried to reach the boy trapped within the single minded monster.

"Jasper, it's me. I demand that you calm yourself down. This is not you. This isn't who you are now. Think about what you are doing. You know that killing Amanda's father is not the right thing to do. Don't you think that she is going to suffer greatly at the loss of a parent? You don't want to be responsible for causing that kind of pain in that innocent sweet little girl. Think about it, Son. Think before you act."

"GO, AWAY! THIS IS MINE!" With a deafening roar, Jasper charged his father and leaped upon Carlisle with teeth gnashing. The combatants violently collided and rolled around on the tin roof; Jasper trying to damage Carlisle while the elder only went on the defensive.

"I don't want to hurt you, Son. Don't make me," Carlisle whispered just before the boy's teeth locked down on his forearm racking the doctor's body with searing pain. With a roar, Carlisle lost his balance on the rain slicked roof and tumbled to the ground behind the garage dragging his spitting and snarling son with him.

"What the fuck!" Startled by the sounds of a ferocious animal fight near his garage, Franklin Hayford tore open his truck door, dug under his seat and withdrew a handgun before charging toward the disturbance. The man had only taken a few steps before a heavy blow to the back of his head caused him to lose consciousness as he crumbled to the ground.

"Oh that's just fantastic. Emmett, you were just supposed to hit him hard enough to knock him out, not give him a concussion."

"Chill, Eddie. It's not like there isn't a doctor or two in the house." He grinned at his beautiful mate as she stepped out of the shadows. "I didn't break his neck or anything like that. He'll just have one killer headache once he comes to."

"Yeah, but that's more trouble that we didn't need right now. I mean, what in the hell are we going to do with him? We're going to have to make this look like a mugging or something of that nature."

A disgusted look flittered across Emmett's boyish face. "I don't want to mug him. Dad would tack my hide to the wall over something like that and the last thing I want is to be on his bad side. From the sounds of things, he's not going to be too happy anytime soon."

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before you hit him so hard. Do you really think Dad isn't going to be pissed anyway since you hurt this fool? They are rather fragile, you know."

"Edward, will you stop arguing with Em," Rose hissed in annoyance. "Neither one of you is helping right now. Go see what you can do to get Jasper under control. I'll figure out something to do with this guy." When the two boys were slow to move, Rose glared at them and snarled a low "Go" before seeing to the man's well being.

Not willing to risk the wrath of Rosalie, Emmett and Edward swiftly complied. Rounding the garage, they witnessed their brother madly clawing at their father as his infuriated unearthly howls filled the night.

Moving quickly, Emmett made to grab Jasper just as the solider kicked out catching the bruin in the chest and sending him flying.

At the sight of Edward steadily coming up behind Jasper, Carlisle called out a deep loud, "NO! Get Back! I Have Him. You and Emmett keep clear."

Reluctantly, Edward backed a safe distance while watching his father continued to struggle with his snarling snapping brother.

Carlisle's arm felt as if it were on fire and a sharp pain in his side told the doctor that one of his ribs had snapped, but through it all he held on tightly trying to gain a better purchase on the boy. "Jasper. Listen to me Son. You have to stop."

The patriarch spat blood tinged venom onto the ground as a wild punch caught him below the jaw causing him to bite his tongue.

With a savage growl, Carlisle slammed his solider boy down onto the ground on his back as he snarled in the boy's face. Jasper's struggles flipped him over on his hands and knees beneath his enraged father. The vampire clawed at the damp earth for purchase while he tried to secure his freedom, but his father's knee landed hard between his shoulder blades impeding his progress. Leaning forward, the elder snaked his left arm around the boy's neck while his venom infused right encircled the youth's head in a death hold.

"Stad as sin anois! éist liom. You will obey me and stop this foolishness now! Géilleadh! An dtuigeann tú?"

Jasper stilled for a moment as the sound of the strange words registered in his mind and sparked a memory. What confused the vampire began to calm the boy hidden within. The familiarity of his father's tongue gave Jasper something to focus on while he worked diligently to regain control over the darkness that had consumed him. Even as he pulled against the arm around his neck, his will to fight was diminishing by the minute.

"That's it, Son. Stad. Stop now. Stop fighting me, Jasper. Hush, a bhuachaill, hush. Sh. Go bog anois, lig do scíth seal, a ghrá."

After a few more minutes of resistance, Jasper went limp as his breath escaped in an explosive gust.

Reluctant to release his son too soon, Carlisle softly whispered the boy's name and received a slight nod in return. "Are you aware of your surroundings? Do you know me?"

Another nod followed by a nearly inaudible "yes, Sah" and Carlisle loosened his grip on the boy.

The elder scooted to the side of his prone son and sat down. He released his breath slowly as he tipped his head back and closed his eyes sending a silent prayer of thanks out to the universe for returning his son to him. Opening his eyes, Carlisle glanced down at Jasper who had rolled over onto his back, but continued to lay motionless, quietly staring up at him with pitch black eyes.

Inhaling deeply, the elder shook his head than shifted his gaze to his hulking son. "Emmett, I need you to go get my car and bring it here. Be quick about it and please ask Rosalie to come here before you leave."

"I'm on it, Pops," Emmett replied in a much more subdued voice than normal. It appeared that the seriousness of the situation had even affected Carlisle's jokester boy as he took his father's keys and slumped off to get Rose in a stunned silence.

"Edward, once Emmett comes back I want the three of you to go home. Esme and Alice are going to be worried. I need you to let them know that things are alright here. I know Alice will have already seen the outcome, but it will help to hear it from you and the others."

Edward nodded in agreement.

_I would also ask that you do me a tremendous favor and go out and find some substance for Jasper. He is going to need fresh blood to help him calm and recover. After I see to Mr. Hayford, Jasper needs to feed, but I can't risk allowing him to hunt on his own right now."_

"Yes, I'm sure that both Alice and Esme will welcome the news," Edward answered as his eyes remained locked on his father's.

"Indeed."

"I think he's going to be fine, but it would be best if he was kept under observation for the night," Rose commented as she walked over to her father. "I constricted his carotid a bit to keep him out. Not sure that it was necessary though. Emmy clocked him a good one. While I hate to admit it, it would appear that Edward was right. Your human friend does seem to have a mild concussion."

Carlisle sighed as he surveyed the area as best as his limited visual path would allow. "Is that tree near to where he fell?"

Edward looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Very close actually."

"Good. Son, I would like you to pull down that split branch. It is feasible that it could have given away and struck Mr. Hayford. It's large enough that at the right angle it could have caused the damage he has sustained."

Carlisle got to his feet as Edward targeted the tree. The doctor looked down at his still frozen son. With a soft sigh he extended his hand to assist the boy to his feet. "Come, Jasper. We have some work to accomplish. We will discuss what transpired here after I've had some time to think it all through."

With the branch on the ground and the sound of Carlisle's car approaching, the patriarch looked to his first born. _Be quick, please, Edward. Jasper and I are going to go on to the hospital to see to the new patient before we head home. I would prefer that he feed first._

Like a ghost, Edward swiftly and soundlessly disappeared into the surrounding forest.

Parking the car, Emmett hopped out and joined his family, easily draping his arm over Rosalie's shoulder.

Carlisle looked at the pair and smiled slightly. "Thank you for all your help, Kitty. And, Em, thank you for retrieving my car. It would have been rather difficult to explain how I showed up here without it."

"No sweat, Pops. Is there anything else that we can do?"

"Just go home. Jasper and I will make sure that Mr. Hayford makes it to the hospital. We'll be along shortly after that. Edward is on a little mission for me, but he should be right behind you."

Seeing the stress of the evening etched on her father's face, Rose left her mate and offered her father a heartfelt hug which he gladly accepted. "I'm sure it will work out," she whispered in his ear. "These things tend to, but it can take a little time."

"I agree completely." He tightened his embrace once more before reluctantly letting go. "Now, you two get going. It wouldn't do to have a crowd."

Without another word, Carlisle's children drifted off into the night leaving him and Jasper to finish cleaning up the boy's mess.

"Do you feel that you are in control of your instincts enough to be allowed near this man?" Carlisle spoke softly without looking at his boy.

Jasper shoved his hands deep in his pockets and nodded his head before studying the ground with great interest.

"Then come on, Jasper. Let's get this taken care of so we can help the Hayfords and then get you home."

With his boy in tow, Carlisle walked up to the door and rang the bell, rousing Sara Hayford from her slumber with news of her husband's injuries.

* * *

"Thank God you came by when you did, Doctor Cullen. I had no idea that Frank had even left the house and then to find out…" The woman allowed her words to fade as tears came to her eyes.

"After the altercation at the hospital, I felt the need to stop and let your husband know that he was welcomed back in the morning. I had hoped to have Amanda released by noon, so Chief Swan's time line was a bit hasty and excessive; I thought that your husband deserved to know that. When my son and I arrived to find Mr. Hayford unconscious I have to admit that I had feared the worst. My first thought was heart failure, but when I saw the limb near his head it all became clear."

"I have been on him about cutting that branch for months. I told him that it was dangerous and now look at what happened. That man is just about as stubborn as they come."

Carlisle smiled as he jotted a couple of notes down in Franklin's chart. "Oh, I can think of someone who is more than a match for your husband." Stealing a glance towards his son, the doctor was met with a bit of light laughter from Sara. For his part, Jasper kept his head low and remained silent as fear and shame overwhelmed him.

Taking a deep breath Carlisle continued. "Your husband's vital signs all look excellent and he has regained consciousness. I just want to keep him over night as a precaution. Why don't you go home and get whatever sleep you still can? Tomorrow I'll be sending both patients home with you so you really do need all the rest that you can get."

"Thank you again, Doctor Cullen. My family owes you so much already. I don't think money is enough to repay you for your kindness."

"I'm just happy that I was able to help." Closing the chart, he gave the woman a reassuring smile. "Good night, Mrs. Hayford. I'll see you in the morning."

With a nod to his recalcitrant son, Carlisle headed towards the nurse's station with the boy following mutely behind.

"Jackie, I'm going to head home. Please tell Doctor Pierce that I'll be coming in a little later than usual tomorrow. Today was just a little too long for me. I am completely exhausted."

"Of course, Doctor. Go home and get some sleep. It's really no wonder that you're tired. We've got everything under control here."

"Should you need anything, I'm still just a phone call away."

"You may be the best around, but you are not the only doctor on call. You can't do anyone any good if you're too tired to think straight. Not to mention, Gloria would have my head if she thought that I let you overwork yourself so get on home, Doctor Cullen." The Quileute nurse smiled at the doctor before shooing him and his son out the nearest door.

As they crossed the parking lot in silence, Jasper hung several steps behind Carlisle trying to make himself invisible.

Looking straight ahead, Carlisle spoke softly. "Jasper, do you want to hunt a little more before we go home? I'll be happy to join you."

"No, Sah," he muttered hoarsely as he opened the door and eased into the seat.

Slipping in behind the steering wheel Carlisle brought the engine to life. "Very well, as long as you're sure. Somehow I doubt that a single deer is enough to satisfy you, but I won't force you to feed unless this pattern of behavior continues, which it will not."

Jasper gave a small nod before allowing his head to droop miserably.

Carlisle knew his son was suffering horribly. The anguish rolling off of Jasper filled the enclosed space and put the elder on edge. While Carlisle tried his best to temper his disappointment so as not to cause Jasper greater discomfort, his boy appeared unaware of how his mood was affecting his father. Thrice Carlisle began to draw his son's attention to the problem, but each time he stopped himself fearing that he would only make the boy feel worse. Ultimately, the patriarch simply resigned himself to endure the debilitating emotion for the extent of the ride home. When the house came into view, Carlisle sighed inwardly with relief.

Once the car was carefully parked, Jasper swallowed hard before finally looking up at his father as he waited for the man's instructions.

Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder Carlisle spoke softly. "Jasper, I need some time to think. Go on, mo mhac. Go in the house. Alice must be completely beside herself and I know Esme will be no better."

"The study?"

Carlisle shook his head. "I haven't decided what I'm going to do. Go spend time with your family. I don't want you to isolate yourself. I'll come find you once I've come to a decision."

With a nod, Jasper slowly got out of the car and trudged into the house appearing absolutely dejected, the sight of which broke Carlisle's heart. His son should not be made to suffer so, but it was his own actions that brought this all about. The elder wished for an easy solution to their predicament all the while knowing that no such thing existed. As the family patriarch, there were times that he was forced to make hard decisions for the good of the group; it appeared that this was to be one of those times.

Leaning his head back he groaned. "Why, Jasper? Why couldn't you just listen to me? This is not where either of us ever wanted to be."

Carlisle started up the car's engine and backed out of the garage before fishing his phone from his pocket. He quickly dialed and felt his heart lighten slightly at the sound of his mate's voice. In the background he could hear his petite daughter giving her mate a severe tongue lashing which caused Carlisle to smile in spite of himself. _You tell him, Alice. He does deserve that much at the very least and it will do him some good to know that he is being held accountable__._

"Esme, I am going to take a little drive. I need some time to myself."

"Are you sure that you wouldn't rather have some company, love?"

"I'm not sure of anything at the moment, but I don't think I would be much fun to have around. While I would love for you to be with me, I really think that I need to be alone with my thoughts. A little ride out to the beach will help me put things into perspective."

"I can understand that, but you know that I'm here if you need me." Carlisle detected a bit of disappointment in his mate's tone. He was fully aware of how much she desired to help him, but this really was something that he had to do on his own. Since his usual methods of discipline had failed this time with Jasper, Carlisle would have to come up with a new way to get through to his boy and he feared that his mate would not approve of the ideas he was currently entertaining.

"I'll call you and let you know when I'm heading back. Please keep an eye on Jasper. I know that he's feeling miserable right now and I'm certain that Alice's dressing down, while completely deserved, isn't helping to improve his mood. I believe he could do with a little maternal love and understanding."

"Mmm, well he got a maternal cuff to the back of the head, but he also received a hug before Alice cut him from the herd."

Carlisle chuckled as he visualized his wife's interaction with their son. "Tough love. Just what the doctor ordered."

"I think he is being much tougher on himself than I was on him."

"That usually is the case when it comes to Jasper." Carlisle stated then sighed sadly. "I have the feeling that I'm going to have to be extremely hard on him to resolve this issue and finally put it behind us."

Esme was silent for a few moments. "That sounds rather ominous, sweetheart. What are you considering?"

"I rather not say at the moment. That's why I need this time to myself. It won't be an easy decision for me regardless of what path I take with our son and I have to make sure that I do what is in his best interest instead of what is easiest for me to bear."

Again there was silence over the line before his mate softly offered, "I'm always here if you need someone to talk to. We are partners, Carlisle. This doesn't have to fall on you alone."

"I realize that, a chuisle mo chroí, but I fear that where I'm going is not a proper place for your gentle heart. This may end up straining my relationship with Jasper and I can't help but believe that it would be better for all involved if he had you to look to for comfort; you and Alice, of course. I don't want him to see you as his disciplinarian, a thaisce. I would prefer that this be my cross to bear."

"If you think that is best."

"I do, mo chroí. Now, I should let you go to take care of our boy. I will be home soon. Is tú mo ghrá."

"And I you, sweetheart. And I you."

Shutting off his phone, Carlisle continued on towards the coastline as he focused on the problem at hand. An idea had already formed. It was an logical move, but he fought hard to dismiss it and find another solution. He simply had to find another course of action. There had to be something else that he could do to get through to his son.

Pulling into a parking bay, he stepped out of his car to walk along the beach in the pale moonlight. The sounds of the wind and surf reconnected him to the fragile rhythm of life and helped him concentrate. If he implemented the punishment that he was contemplating, would he have the strength to see it through? He could already imagine how his mate would respond and it was not something that he was looking forward to trying to explain. She would want to support him, but her instincts would make that nearly impossible, and then there was Alice to consider. How was he going to explain it to his little princess?

What would he do if they suddenly turned their backs on him? Was correcting his son worth the potential risk to the stability of his relationship with his family? How much was he willing to gamble in an attempt to save his boy from his current path of self-destruction?

With the salt spray from the ocean drifting over him, Carlisle withdrew his phone from his pocket and keyed in the number with a heavy heart.

"Hello, Eleazar. It's Carlisle. I'm sorry to disturb you at this time of the morning, but I have a problem and I'm hoping that you can help me with it."

* * *

**AN:** Jazzy will be taking a little trip and I will be be trying to play with some more seriously underdeveloped characters. o.O Sometimes I really do wonder why I set myself like is, well, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Selling Alice on this idea could prove extremely problematic, but I have to get her on board for it to work toward Jasper's redemption. That Momma bear is not going to be overjoyed either. I have faith in Carlisle's ability to reason with Esme though and this is all for Jasper's own good after all. Have to get him back into the fold somehow.

Never meant my stories to intertwine, but hey look, that Gaelic of Carlisle's proved useful. Speaking of which...

Translations for today...

Stad as sin anois! ... "Stop this now!" Géilleadh!..."Surrender" or Obey (an uncommon word in Irish Gaelic *snicker*)

An dtuigeann tú?... "Do you understand?" éist liom... "listen to me" Go bog anois, lig do scíth seal, a ghrá..."Relax, Calm down"

A chuisle mo chroí ... "Pulse of my heart" A thaisce... "My treasure" Is tú mo ghrá. ... "I love you." mo mhac... "My son"

Thank you all for all the words of encouragement. Y'all are just all kinds of awesome and the support for the last chapter really blew me away. It's really humbling to have my oddness accepted. LOL

Thanks to my wonderful beta Splinter. Again, she gets a chapter in the wee hours of the morning. She just never knows what lurks in her email when she wakes up. ;-)

Alrighty. I'm going to take a little step back and see what's going on back at the house, before I allow Carlisle to drop this bomb on my stressed little Cullens. Again, thank you all for hanging around and stay tuned for more to come.


	12. Facing His Commanding Officer

Jasper shuffled into the kitchen slowly, unsure of how he was going to face his family and his mate. He was only too well aware of what a mess he had made of things. He had allowed the feralness that he kept so carefully buried to bubble up to the surface and now he would reap the reward for that blunder. There was a touch of fear flickering in his chest as the various forms his punishment could take played out in his head, but whatever Carlisle decided on would surely be far less than he deserved.

His father's question had been continually echoing in his head ever since he returned to his senses. Did he really want to be the one to put that tiny girl through the pain of loss at such a young age? Good common sense easily answered that; of course he didn't, but then why had that knowledge escaped him so readily. Would his actions have really helped Amanda in the long run or would he have scarred her instead; and how would he have come to grips with the realization that he had hurt her possibly worse than her father ever had?

_Thank God for Carlisle and his impeccable timing. If he hadn't gotten there when he did..._

"Jasper."

He looked up at the sound of his mother's voice just seconds before he found himself engulfed in her arms.

"I'm so relieved that you're alright."

Closing his eyes, the boy laid his head against his mother's shoulder as her unfaltering love swept over him, but seconds later a sharp pain to the back of his head caused him to pull away with a slight gasp. Glancing at Esme in confusion, Jasper watched as her tearful eyes darkened while he rubbed the sore spot where her hand had just connected with his skull.

"Don't you ever do anything like that again, young man. Do you have any idea what we have all been going through? I have half a mind to turn you over my knee right here and now to teach you a good hard lesson, but I think Alice is the one who deserves the right to correct you first and foremost."

Bewilderment and embarrassment shown in the boy's wide venom glazed eyes as he wondered just how likely it was that his mother would take action against him. With that question still in his mind he suddenly felt a rush of shame for what he had just put his sweet Alice through. He had toyed with her visions to make sure that he would not be interfered with. He had shown no concern for her feelings as he struck out on his own to accept the role of judge, jury and executioner of this human. He hadn't even considered, until now, that she would eventually see the deed that he would have committed and be forced to live with that memory while knowing that she hadn't been able to prevent it.

With a deepening sense of regret, Jasper sniffled back the thick venom and valiantly blinked away his tears before he once again found himself wrapped securely in the protection of his mother's arms as Esme cooed to him gently.

"I know that you meant well, baby, but you can't run off and do whatever you want in situations like this. Not only do you worry us to the bone, but you also have to realize that such actions can have repercussions for the entire family."

With his head cradled against his mother's shoulder, Jasper nodded in response to her soft chiding.

"Your father is not pleased with your behavior and this is a time that I will not be inclined to intervene on your behalf. Whatever punishment he decides on, you and I both know that it was well earned." Pushing her southern son back enough to allow her to look into his eyes, Esme firmly reminded him, "You were already being punished for an unrelated bout of senselessness, Jasper Whitlock Cullen. That fact alone makes your current misbehavior far worse than it normally would be deemed. If this is how you act when you are meant to be on your best behavior…."

Unable to look on his mother after having behaved so poorly, Jasper averted his eyes seconds before he heard his name called out in a light, sweet, and yet most certainly angry tone.

"Major Whitlock, present yourself front and center, Sir!"

Esme watched as her son deflated before her at the curt command of his mate. With a slight smirk, she turned him around towards Alice's direction.

"It's time to face the music, my little man. I don't think it would be wise to keep your commanding officer waiting." With a light smack to his rear, Esme sent Jasper on his way as she giggled quietly. _The Cullen men are no match for their wives and never will be. I'm sorry, son, but you have this coming. Carlisle's discipline will be a cake walk compared to facing Alice. Almost seems like cruel and unusual punishment. ...Almost.  
_

Esme's cell suddenly began to vibrate. Turning away from the drama in the living room she answered softly, "Hello, Lover. You really need to get in here quickly. You're missing the floor show."

* * *

"After the stunt you just pulled, Major, you should consider yourself lucky that I don't bust you down in rank." Alice stalked around her crestfallen husband as she growled softly. "You will be confined to camp and serving KP duty until further notice. The Colonel has already agreed with me on this so don't think you can weasel your way out of your discipline this time."

Jasper stood rigidly and mute before his fiery little wife with his eyes downcast as she continued to berate him. "You can count on me meeting with the General to discuss this matter to its fullest. Hopefully, he can impress upon you the gravity of what has transpired here this evening. Should I suggest a proper flogging for you, Major? Perhaps in front of the entire company? That would seem appropriate for an officer who got it in his head to go AWOL. Do you think that would be sufficient to remind you of your duties?" The little pissed off pixie stopped in front of her military man and barked sharply, "A-Ten-Hut."

Unable to contain himself any longer, Emmett busted out in a fit of laughter suddenly drawing a great deal of unwanted attention from the tiny spitfire that now possessed his sweet little sister.

"Do you think this is humorous, Private?" Alice quipped without taking her eyes off of the solider before her. "Perhaps you would like to join the Major for KP or maybe digging latrines is more fitting for someone of your rank."

"Ma'am, no Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am." Emmett bellowed seriously before being over taken by laughter yet again. "Oh, God. Alice, you have to stop. You're killing me over here." Emmett stopped laughing for a second as he thought before quickly adding, "Hey, wait a minute. Why am I the lowest ranking member here?"

"You are not helping," Rosalie hissed to her mate in a quiet tone as she bumped her shoulder against his while continuing to watch Alice reprimand Jasper with great interest.

"I'm sorry. Really I am." Emmett rubbed the back of his hand across his eyes to wipe away the tears of amusement. "It's just that … well… look for yourself. It's Alice. Come on, Babe. You can't tell me that isn't the most hysterical thing you've seen in forever."

Rosalie noticed her tiny sister tense up at her hulking mate's words. It was clear to her that Alice was very serious and Emmett's delight was only increasing her sister's frustration with the entire situation. She knew that she would have to do something if peace was to somehow continue to reign in the Cullen household.

Slapping her mate lightly on the arm, Rosalie snarled in a low whisper, "Go upstairs and don't come back down until you can get yourself under control. You are supposed to be trying to offer your support and let Jasper know that we are all here for him. Right now you're just getting him in deeper shit by fanning the flames."

With a slight push, the beautiful blonde shoved her husband to his feet while he continued to chuckle.

"But…."

Rosalie's cocked brow and steady glare cut her mate's argument off before it could start. With a nod and a barely suppressed chortle, Emmett obediently slunk off up the stairs, leaving his brother to his doom.

Once silence had returned and ordered was restored to the ground level, Alice narrowed her eyes slightly while focusing intently on her abashed mate.

"Well, solider what do you have to say for yourself?"

Jasper swallowed hard before allowing his head to drop in shame.

"Nothing, Whitlock? You have nothing at all to say in your defense?" Alice pressed a delicate finger against his jaw to bring his head back up. "Maybe a night in the brig will jog your memory or at least loosen that tongue of yours."

Edward coughed quietly. "That would be Navy, Ali. Jasper would more than likely find himself in the stockade since he is an Army man. A brig is what you would hold …."

A throw pillow caught Edward forcefully in the side of the head interrupting his little lesson on military terminology. He glared at Rosalie who returned his show of annoyance with a scowl of her own causing Edward to turn away from his siblings as he hugged the pillow tightly against his chest. "Whatever. Continue in ignorance if that's the way you want it," he growled softly.

Ignoring Edward's interruption, Jasper reluctantly shifted his gaze from looking past his mate to staring into her warm butterscotch colored eyes.

"I suggest that you break this silence, solider. I am expecting some sort of answer from you. Certainly you will show me that meager amount of respect."

Jasper gave the barest of nods before he drew a deep breath. "I am sorry that I have broken rank and moved to deceive you, ma'am. I am willing to accept whatever discipline is assigned to me and pray that you will find it in your heart to forgive this good-for-nothing that you've been saddled with."

Alice's body relaxed as she reached out and gently stroked her husband's cheek causing him to turn his head to gently kiss her palm.

"Major," she began in a softer tone. "You should count your lucky stars that the General is not here right now. He would wash that filth right out of your mouth in an instant."

Jasper's brow furrowed as he found himself confused by her words.

"If you utter one more derogatory word pertaining to yourself, I will add that to my report and you know that the General will not be as lenient with you as I am willing to be. You are in quite enough trouble, solider. Don't make things worse then they need be."

"Yes, ma'am." He bowed his head at her rebuke only to find his wife's arms wrapped around him as she hugged him tightly.

"Jazzy, you had us all so worried. I could not believe that you would block me like that. Do you know how that made me feel?"

Jasper nodded. "I'm sorry that I worried you, but it was what I felt needed doin'. I couldn't have anyone interfering. There is an old saying where I'm from, lovebug. Some folk just need killin'. Well, I can't think of a person that makes that statement more true than this cretin."

Having hung up with Carlisle a short time before, Esme now leaned against the archway separating the kitchen from the living room quietly watching the scene between her children unfold. At her son's words, she cleared her throat to gain his attention.

"Jasper, your father told me that he received some news from Child Protection late this evening. The abuse inquiry didn't turn up any proof of abuse; quite the contrary actually. That man is no more guilty of hurting his child than you are."

The solider shook his head. "That don't make no sense."

Esme smiled slightly. "But it's true, Honey. He is innocent. Your little friend just appears to have been born under a very unlucky star. She seems quite accident prone. The story that was given at the hospital was true. It was just a bit of carelessness that caused her injuries."

"That can't be. It just can't." Jasper's eyes darkened to a deep chocolate brown as he began to become agitated.

"Shh, Jazzy, " his mate soothed him. "It's okay. The little girl is okay and so are you."

"No, Alice baby, it's not okay. They are going to put her back in that house with that monster."

"Jasper, calm down," Rose spoke up from across the room. "I'm sure the situation is going to continue to be monitored for a while yet. That's what usually happens in these cases. If he is causing her harm, they will catch him."

"Like hell they will! Y'all aren't listenin'. He'll hurt her worse the next time and then y'all will believe me, but it will be too fuckin' late."

Edward was on his feet ready to intervene should the need arise.

Upon hearing the commotion, Emmett raced down the stairs and stood off to the side surveying the situation from a safe distance. _Eddie, if we need to kick some ass, I'm going in first. You just watch my back since you might hafta run him down._

Edward gave his hulking brother a nod while he kept his eyes glued on the scene igniting in front of him.

"Jazz, calm yourself. There is no need for that and you know it." Esme stepped a little closer to her son as Alice clung to him in the hope that her presence would calm him. "There has been enough foolishness out of you for one night, young man. Your father will be home soon and I'm sure that he will give you all the details that he has. For now I think it would be better for you to go upstairs with Alice and take this time to settle down before your father gets back."

"Where is he? Ah thought he was right behind meh."

Esme placed her hand lightly on the boy's shoulder and felt him shudder as if to shrug her off before she let it drop away. "He needed time by himself to think and regain his composure. I think the same would do you a world of good as well."

"No, I need to go see…."

"You will not go anywhere, but upstairs to your room, Jasper." Esme's tone was stern. "What in the world has possessed you?"

"Momma, you are absolutely ignorant as to what's at stake here."

"Dude, come on. You're getting all worked up over nothing. Do you really think that Pops doesn't have a handle on things? He wouldn't let that little kid get stuck back in a place that isn't safe. You need to chill, Bro. Seriously, you're already up shit creek with one of those little ice cream taster spoons for a paddle. You're not really in any position to be getting all mouthy with mom." Emmett kept himself relaxed, but his brother's erratic behavior was starting to really concern him.

Jasper turned on Emmett with a low growl. "Ah don't need your two cents, ya big oaf."

"Hey, now. I'm just trying to help. Rose and I would like to spend some quality time, but if your ass is getting tagged by Pops that ruins our night, you know?"

"Well, Ah am so damn sorry to spoil your plans with worryin' over a helpless child. How completely insensitive of me." Jasper rolled his eyes as he squared his shoulders ready to take on his muscular sibling.

"Boys, that is enough!" Esme's words still hung in the air as she touched her son's back only to find herself shoved roughly to the ground with Jasper rounding on her while issuing a low snarl of warning.

In a second Rosalie was at Esme's side returning Jasper's snarl with a challenge of her own while her eyes flashed black in anger.

The boy shrunk back while worried calls of "Mom" "Esme" and "What the Fuck?" filled the air.

Alice joined Rosalie as she checked Esme over. "Momma , are you alright? It was an accident. He didn't know what he was doing."

"I'm sure that he didn't." Esme sat for a moment more before allowing Edward to help her to her feet. "There's no harm done. Just a little bit of hurt pride, is all. Everything is okay."

A roar of "What in the FUCK were you thinking?!" caught everyone's attention as Emmett pushed Jasper a bit further back with a hard slap against his chest.

"I wasn't… I didn't mean for … Oh, God." The solider stared wide-eyed at his mother while visibly trembling.

"No, Jazzy!" Alice flitted to her mate as she cupped his face between her hands. "No. Shh. Look at me. Sweetheart, look at me. Don't even think that. Everything is going to be alright. Momma is okay so there is nothing to fret about. Sh."

Esme met her son's wild fearful gaze as she spoke softly. "I'm okay, Jasper. Alice is right. There was no harm done. Calm down, Honey."

The blonde haired boy shook his head. "I have to. He is going to kill me. I.. I…. just…."

"Edward, he's going to run," Alice cried out with a heart wrenching plea for help in her tone.

"No he's not," Emmett growled softly as he made a grab for Jasper, but the boy easily slipped out of his grasp.

Before anyone else could act, Jasper was out of the door in a flash with Edward close on his heels.

A flying leap off the porch and the quicker Edward brought his rebelling solider of a brother down on the ground. Jasper growled and hissed as he struggled to get free.

"Jasper, pull yourself together. Do you really have a death wish? You already know that running is not going to solve anything. Emmett is right about shit creek and you just fell out of the boat. Trying to drown yourself now? Is that really how you want to go?" Edward hissed through clenched teeth as he managed to gain a better hold, forcing Jasper's struggles to lessen slightly.

"Carlisle. Is. Going. To. Kill. ME. You have to let me get a head start. It's my only chance."

"No one is going to kill anyone," Esme's soft voice announced clearly.

Jasper stared passed Edward to see his mother standing there. He managed to meet her eyes for a moment before looking way with a soft whine.

"Jasper, if Edward let's go will you come back into the house so we can all talk. We need to do this before your father gets home so decide. I can't imagine that he will be pleased to see Edward being forced to hold you down in the front yard."

After a moment's hesitation, Jasper nodded.

"Edward, let go, please."

The first born rolled off of his brother who wasted no time in scrambling to his feet.

"Jasper, come with me." Esme held her hand out to her son.

With trembling fingers he took her hand and allowed himself to be led into the house by his mother like the disobedient child he suddenly saw himself as.

Once Jasper was safely seated on the couch with Alice next to him, Esme addressed her children. "No one is going to mention a word of this to Carlisle."

"Mother…."

"Not a word, Rose." She gave her daughter a pointed stare. "Jasper and your father both have been through quite enough. There is no point in making either of them feel worse. I am perfectly fine. Jasper did not attack me. He accidentally pushed me and I fell; it's as simple as that."

"Won't be that simple once Carlisle find out," Edward muttered softly. When all eyes turned to him, he shrugged his shoulders. "He has his ways. Think about it. How many things have we been able to keep from him long term? Not a thing comes to my mind. He will find out and when he does he is just going to be more pissed off."

Esme gave a soft sigh. "If he does find out, I will make sure that no one else is implicated. This is my requirement of you all, so I'm the one to take the blame." After being met with her children's skeptical expressions, Esme tried one more time. "Please, do this for me. I don't feel like I ask much, so just this once, do as I ask. The only party affected was me. This is how I want it to be."

"Alright, Momma. If you're sure about this."

"I'm certain, Em."

One by one, Esme's children all agreed to her terms.

Turning to Jasper, she nodded, "You, young man, I want up in your room. Alice, please see if you can calm him and I'll do the same with Carlisle before he goes up."

"Yes, Momma." Alice popped up off the sofa with Jasper's hand held tightly in hers as she pulled him to his feet. "Come on, Major. The Colonel gave you your orders so hop to it."

As he was being towed towards the stairway, Jasper stopped and pulled his little pixie to a halt. Turning back he returned to his mother and took her hand gently before pressing his lips to it. "I'm sorry, Momma. I never meant to hurt you. You don't have to do this for me."

Running her fingers through her son's tangled blonde hair, Esme smiled softly. "I know, Sweetheart and I'm not doing it just for you. I'm doing it for all of us. Just make me a promise that you will obey your father. This is as hard on him as it is on you. He could really use a little understanding and, of course, your respect."

"He has that already, and regardless of what happens, I give you my word that I will mind him without question."

Pulling him down into her arms, Esme hugged Jasper as she kissed his cheek. "You're a good boy, Jazz. I think you forget that sometimes and I don't say it enough, but you are my good boy and I love you."

"I love you too, Momma." Slowly pulling away, the solider and his mate quietly climbed the stairs and disappeared from view leaving an odd emptiness in their wake.

Aren't I a good boy, Momma?"

Rosalie slapped her mate in the arm once again.

"Rosie! Would you just quit it. You're going to bruise me or something."

"Of course you're a good boy, Emmy. Honestly, I couldn't think of a more wonderful group of people to call my family than all of you. You honor me by allowing me to be your mother."

Esme cuddled her bear close for a few moments before letting him go.

"Now you three go and scatter so I can make things a bit more welcoming and relaxing for your father. And you, Mr. Emmett, need to finish up with your homework assignment. There are only a few more hours before you will be heading off to school, so I suggest that you use this time wisely.

"Aww, but Momma..."

* * *

**AN:** The knocking Esme down was completely unexpected, but it does appear that the little solider is going to have something else weighing on his conscience while he spends time up in the Great White North. Things are looking pretty bleak for our young Mr. Whitlock though I am certain that Alice will help him through it all.

Okay, show of hands... how many people suffered the same illness as Emmett and could not quite suppress that giggle at Jasper's Commanding Officer dressing that poor boy down? *raises own hand* I always knew she had it in her, but never expected to really see it. LOL

As always, y'all are just completely wonderful. Every review, pm and the like are read and treasured. Thank you, all. Thanks to my treasured beta, Splinter for putting up with my insanity.


	13. Overcoming Objections

"Where is everyone?"

Carlisle walked through the door and into his wife's waiting arms.

"Upstairs." With her arms around his neck, Esme reached up and kissed her mate gently. "They aren't going anywhere any time soon. Come sit with me for a little while and relax a bit."

Sadly, he reached behind his neck and unfastened her hands. Bringing them in front of him, he held them gently while gazing longingly into her eyes. Carlisle wanted nothing more than to bask in his mate's love, but he knew that now was not the time.

"I wish I could, sweetheart, but I need to talk to Alice before I handle Jasper and time is getting short. I promised that little girl in the hospital that she would see Jasper tomorrow." A quick glance at the clock on the wall and Carlisle shook his head as he sighed softly. "Actually that would be today, before she goes home. The night is almost over and I have something that I need to tell you, but I have to see to Alice first."

The grim look that darkened his face as well as his eyes gave his mate pause.

"You've decided on Jasper's punishment."

"Yes. I know it would have been better to discuss it with you first, but after what happened tonight, I didn't feel that we really had the luxury of time. I'm sorry, a shíorghrá."

Esme pulled one of her hands free from his and ran it lightly over her lover's cheek.

"I trust your decision, sweetheart. If not consulting with me is what has you this troubled, you can stop torturing yourself. I'll always stand behind you in whatever you decide."

Carlisle scoffed softly, but before he had a chance to utter a word he heard another voice gasp, "Daddy? Please don't."

His silent heart sunk as he looked towards the stairs to see his petite dark haired pixie staring back with fear and desperation marring her features. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Carlisle had hoped that he would have been able to explain things to Alice before her visions announced Jasper's future, but the strength of his conviction made blocking his decision from his clairvoyant daughter impossible.

"You can't do that, Daddy. You just can't do that to him. That's all wrong."

The sound of her trembling voice made the patriarch look back up at his little girl as his heart broke a bit more.

"Alice, would you accompany me out by the river? We need to talk about this and I think it would be best to do so in private."

"No, we don't because you won't go through with this. Please, Daddy, reconsider. I know Jazzy deserves to be punished; really I do, but not this way."

"Alice, please." Carlisle held his hand out toward his daughter as he tried to entice her down the stairs. The last thing he wanted was for a scene to erupt with the entire family listening or becoming involved. The situation was already extremely delicate and that added stress would simply make things worse. Then to, that was not the way that he wanted Jasper to find out the details of his impending punishment, either. "Please, Princess, come take a walk with me. Just let me try to explain. Will you at least allow that?"

Hesitantly, Alice descended the stairs and lightly laid her dainty hand in her father's.

"Thank you, a stóirín." He squeezed her hand gently before pulling her into his arms as he whispered, "I only want what is best for Jasper. I promise you that, my little darling, but I'm going to need your help."

Placing his cheek against the top of Alice's head, Carlisle caught Esme's eye and gave her a weak smile. "We'll be back in a little while and then I will fill you in with the details before I address Jasper."

"Don't rush, Love. Take all the time that you need." She rubbed her little girl's back and felt Alice's dispirited sigh. "From the sound of it, this is going to be a very rough road for everyone, but I am sure that the outcome will be well worth it."

This time it was Carlisle who sighed. "I do hope so, a chumann."

With a kiss to the crown of her head, Carlisle released Alice from his hug to wrap his arm around her shoulders and lead her towards the door. "Come on, little one, I have a great deal of explaining to do."

Carlisle and Alice walked in a companionable silence; both deep in thought and neither looking forward to the coming storm. As they reached the water's edge, Carlisle sat Alice down on a boulder before taking a few steps back towards the river. The serenity of the spot did little to soothe his frazzled nerves.

Drawing a deep breath of the chilly damp air he spoke softly; his words nearly lost to the sounds of the roiling waters.

"I didn't want you to find out like that, Princess. I wanted to be able to tell you myself, but you are always one step ahead of me."

Carlisle nodded sadly in response to her unvoiced question. "I do have every intention of sending Jasper to stay in Denali for a little while."

"No, Daddy. That's not right. You can't turn him into an outcast like that. That's just cruel."

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm not turning him into an outcast. I would never do that. Think of this more like...," Carlisle paused for a moment as he searched for the right terminology. "It's more like a human checking into rehab to be treated for an addiction. Jasper has become addicted to this notion of retribution against a crime that was never committed. He needs a little distance right now so he can focus and reaffirm his true priorities."

"But protecting those who he sees as needing his help is a top priority for him. He has always been like that and that character trait will never change. I don't even want it to change, Daddy. His sense of honor in doing what's right is one of the things that I love about him. You can't take that away."

"I don't want to take it away, baby. I have no interest in changing who Jazz is, but he needs to learn to listen to others instead of flying off the handle as he has been doing. So far nothing that I have done or said has gotten through to him in regard to this matter so I have to try something else.

Now, don't get me wrong, each time he and I have discussed his misbehavior, he has been penitent. I truly believe that. There is no doubt in my mind that at those moments, he had every intention of correcting his behavior. The problem is that even with his best intentions, once he found himself confronted by this perceived injustice he couldn't control himself. He needs to correct that issue. Jasper must bring himself back under control for everyone's sake."

Carlisle turned away from his daughter and took the few steps that brought him to the edge of the riverbank. Willing the turbulent water to carry away the frustration he was feeling, the patriarch heaved a sigh.

"I think that Jasper needs to realize what he has here so that he can see what he stands to lose if he keeps up this unacceptable behavior."

Carlisle turned back around and met his little girl's gleaming amber eyes.

"I thought about moving the family, but the more I toyed with that idea the more I realized that it wouldn't solve anything. We would be doing little more than running away from the problem and quite possibly towards the next one.

There will be another Franklin Hayford out there and another Amanda who will spark Jazz's protectiveness. I won't have us become nomadic because my son can't control his temper and won't listen to reason. I'm afraid that this has become my only reasonable solution."

The regret that shown in her father's eyes as he pleaded his case tugged at Alice's heart. Over all, Carlisle appeared exhausted and his little pixie knew that he had struggled with this decision to send her husband away. The thought of following through with his plan was destroying Carlisle as much as it would devastate Jasper to be forced to leave.

"There has to be something else that you can do."

"Sweetheart, if you have another suggestion that he would respond to, I will be only too happy to hear it."

Alice glanced down at her hands as they lay clasped together in her lap.

"Momma and I were grounding him and giving him chores to work towards his penance," she offered quietly. "We knew that you would be punishing him as well and figured that would at least be a start. I figured that if we stood together on this then Jazzy would realize his mistake and correct it."

With a weak smile, Carlisle walked over to Alice and gently lifted her chin until he was gazing into her eyes once more. "That is an excellent start, but he is already grounded; all of you are, if memory serves me correctly."

Alice nodded her head. "But, extra chores or maybe restrict him from doing anything at all other than hunting, school and chores. Take his books away. Put him in some sort of solitary confinement. I'll even move out of our room for a while so we'll be apart. Daddy, I'm sure there is something that you can do that will get through to him without sending him into exile." A crystalline venom tear rolled down her pale cheek as Alice's carefully monitored vision showed no marked change in the course of Jasper's future. Her father's mind had been made up and he would not be swayed.

The desperation showing through her eyes was nearly too much for Carlisle to bear. Gently he brushed the tear away with his thumb as he softly caressed Alice's face.

"Baby, I promise you, I have gone through all sorts of ideas trying to find some other solution to this problem. I don't want to do this, but I don't feel that there is another choice. If all of us suffering through a couple of months of separation is what it takes to prevent Jasper from acting out in the future, well sweetheart, I'm willing to make that sacrifice. The hardest part of it all for me is asking you to do the same."

With a single short nod, Alice accepted Carlisle's decree.

"Daddy, I'll miss you all terribly and won't be able to wait to come back home, but I'm sure Denali isn't that bad. There's no shopping to be had anywhere around there, but like you said; sacrifice. If you really think this is the best thing for Jazzy then we'll go. I can have us packed up by sunrise."

Carlisle knew that he was going to run into this issue with his baby girl; it was inevitable. "Alice." He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Baby, you can't go."

Alice cocked her head to the side as she stared uncomprehendingly at her father. "I have to. He's my husband. I can't abandon him when he needs me the most."

"Princess, he needs to realize what his actions could cost him and the most valuable thing in his life that he could lose is you."

"He'll never lose me."

"But he could, honey. If we were to be exposed because of his disobedience…." Carlisle couldn't bring himself to voice the rest of his statement. He found the thought far too repugnant to breathe life into it.

"But he won't."

"He must believe that he could. That is the only thing that will make him understand how serious this problem with his behavior has become."

"But, Daddy…."

"Alice, please try to understand. I've already said that if I thought there was another way to get through to him, I would gladly take that route. I meant it, sweetie. It's only when Jasper finally backed me into a corner that I realized he left me with no choice but to take such a severe approach. Baby, I don't want to do this, but he is leaving me with no other recourse and the only way it will work is if I have your cooperation."

Carlisle knew that to do what he was asking of her, Alice would be forced to tear her soul in two. Rarely had he ever seen a mated pair bonded as strongly as Alice and Jasper. It was natural for vampires to bind themselves to a single mate for the term of their existence, but the depth of love between his adopted children was truly a sight to behold. It was because of the pain that he was asking them both to endure that he hated himself for even considering this solution, but it was also the reason that he knew it would work.

His normally animated little pixie became motionless and hushed as she searched for solutions to their predicament. Carlisle calmly watched as her eyes went out of focus and her breathing ceased. Silently he prayed that she would be given a vision of a favorable outcome.

Coming back to the present, Alice tucked her chin against her chest and wrapped her arms around herself for comfort as Carlisle waited patiently for her response. Looking up at her father with tears in her eyes, the petite happy go lucky Alice sniffled sadly before squeaking out, "Alright, Daddy. I'll do it, but I don't like it and for the record, I don't like him being up there with Tanya, Kate and Irina."

"That's one thing you don't have to worry about, Princess. Tanya and company are touring some of their old haunts in Europe. Jasper will be staying with Eleazar and Carmen. I've asked El to keep an eye on him for me and to be a sympathetic ear. I hope that he will be able to help Jasper understand how Aro thinks and operates so that he will better comprehend the danger that he places us all in. Eleazar's experience in the guard has given him a wealth of insight that I feel will prove useful in rehabilitating our errant Major."

Alice seemed to breathe a little easier, safe in this new knowledge. "How long will he have to be gone?"

"That is really up to Jasper, but I'm planning on two months. That should be long enough for him to get homesick and more than enough time for him to miss you." Carlisle tapped the tip of Alice's nose as he tried to get a smile out of her. "The first week he will not be allowed any contact from home. This is very important, Sweetheart. It should act a bit like a hard reset to his psyche. He will need to rely on Eleazar and Carmen instead of us for that short period of time. Getting to talk to you will be a privilege that he must earn."

Her pained expression darkened a bit more at this news, but Alice bravely nodded. She didn't want to imagine how difficult these next couple of months were going to be, especially that first week, but if it would help Jasper she would find a way to suffer through it. She would just have to hold onto that vision of their happy reunion as justification for what was about to happen. The love of her life had not yet been ripped from her, but anxiety was already beginning to take hold.

_Two months. Sixty days. One thousand four hundred forty hours. Eighty six thousand four hundred minutes._ _That's just too long._

"Daddy, does he really have to be gone so long? Can't he get early parole if he exhibits good behavior?"

It was impossible for Carlisle to suppress his smile at Alice's hope filled question.

"Two months isn't really all that long, Sweetheart." The disheartened expression on his baby's face caused him to continue. "But, if he behaves himself, I will consider a slightly shorter sentence."

Alice bounced up and threw her arms around Carlisle's neck as she kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy and I'll be sure to tell him that he had better be on his best behavior or he'll be answering to me when he does come home."

Carlisle chuckled as he hugged Alice tight. "If that doesn't put the fear of God into him, nothing will."

* * *

"Alice, you may go to him, but not one word," Carlisle warned as they stepped through the door. "I'm completely serious, young lady. There wasn't anything that I could do about your vision informing you, but this will come from me."

"Alright, Daddy." Alice gave Carlisle a quick hug before dashing upstairs to find Jasper so they could share all their precious remaining moments together.

_One down, five more to go. I hope Esme and Jasper go as easy on me as Alice did._

Carlisle's fleeting hope evaporated as his mate seemingly materialized out of thin air, grabbed his arm, and dragged him bodily out into the garage.

"Carlisle Cullen, explain yourself," she hissed in a low angry voice.

"What am I explaining, Love?" Clear confusion colored his expression as he unconsciously took a step back from his fuming wife.

"What is with this idea of sending him away? You cannot … No, you will not follow through with this ridiculous plan of yours. I will not allow you to disown that boy because he made a few mistakes, regardless of how grievous they are. We are a family and that means that we pull together. You don't just toss a family member to the wolves, Carlisle. I thought that you were better than that."

"Wait just a minute, Esme. Who said anything about disowning anyone? Where are you getting this….." Carlisle suddenly closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as his jaw clenched tightly shut. "I should have known. Edward. Oh, that boy and I are going to have a long chat once everything is said and done."

"You'll not do a thing to my son, Carlisle. He was just looking out for his brother and felt that I deserved to know what was happening."

Carlisle drew a deep breath and held it for several seconds before exhaling with a quiet growl. "Esme, I told you that I wanted to talk to Alice first and then I would bring you up to speed before I approached Jasper. I had no intention of leaving you out of the loop, but Edward had absolutely no right to intrude on my thoughts nor should he have gotten you stirred up needlessly like this. I will certainly be addressing this appalling lack of consideration," Carlisle spat in a muted volume.

"And do you think it was considerate of you to throw my baby out in the cold all because he had an unfortunate slip up due to him being worried about an injured child? I thought I knew you Carlisle, but obviously I was mistaken."

Carlisle's body shivered as he fought to control his mounting frustration.

With a concentrated effort, Carlisle slowed his breathing and spoke in a mild hushed tone. "Esme, you have to listen to…."

"I don't have to listen to a damn thing, Carlisle. You have gone too far this time," she whispered fiercely.

"ESME." His volume remained unchanged, but there was force behind his voice. "You will listen to me. You may still not agree with me, but you need to let me speak and hear me out before you judge me."

Esme's eyes narrowed with indignation, but she fell silent as she waited for her mate to explain this atrocity.

"Darling, I would never disown, reject, or abandon any member of this family; you know this. I would sooner die than take any sort of action like what you are suggesting. Edward did not have all the facts. He likely picked up a combination from Alice's visions and my thoughts then formulated his own conclusion from those fragments. He was making an educated guess, but he guessed incorrectly and worried you needlessly."

Carlisle paced slowly as he spoke in an attempt to burn off some of the energy produced by his irritation.

"Now, if you would give me the chance, I will explain what will happen to Jasper along with why I feel it's the proper action to take at this time. Just keep in mind that Jasper is and will remain a member of this family as long as he wants to be. Should he leave of his own accord, I will still consider him my son. Nothing in this world nor anything that he or anyone else in this family can do will ever change that fact."

Stopping in front of his car, Carlisle leaned against it as he crossed his arms over his chest while carefully watching his mate. Esme's stance had not changed at all, but at least now she was listening.

"Honey, I think that it is best to have Jasper go to Denali for a little while. He needs to get out of Forks and away from everything that could set him off. That will give him time to think things over and get some focus. Right now he's a loose cannon, Esme. He's a threat to himself and everyone else in this house. You know what I'm saying is true. This is for his own good."

Esme softened a little as she considered her mate's words. "Carlisle, he is going to feel abandoned. Is that really want you want?"

He shook his head. "I'm not going to allow him to feel abandoned. He is going to be staying with family after all. You know Carmen will mother him nearly as badly as you do and Eleazar is going to be his confidant. He and I have already talked. He will be keeping a close watch on Jasper to make sure that he stays out of trouble, but he is also going to be encouraging him to vent. There isn't a doubt in my mind that he is going to be angry with me for doing this to him, and I don't want him to internalize that. He will need to get that out of his system and I just don't foresee him being comfortable enough to share his annoyance with me."

"But why put both of you through that? There is no reason that Jasper can't regain control over himself right here with us. We can keep a closer eye on him, just like we did when he was first with us; let him regain his freedom step by step as he proves himself reliable."

Carlisle ran his hand through his hair as he breathed a sigh. "He will resent that nearly as much."

"Nearly, but not quite which would be a step in the right direction. If you send him to Alaska he could end up hating you, Carlisle. He could end up hating us both. It is completely feasible that he will come to distrust us. Think about how long it took to earn our son's trust in the first place. I don't want our lives to go back to the way it was during that first decade or so where he was so guarded and skittish."

Esme's eyes suddenly glazed over with venom tears.

"Oh, Esme." Carlisle caught her in his arms and, though she struggled at first, he pulled her into his embrace while rocking her gently. "That won't happen, love. Jasper already knows that we love him. He knows that this is his home and that he has no reason to be fearful."

"He could become frightened because he will never know if you will send him away again."

"Mo shearc, it won't be like that. Jasper already knows that he has done wrong. He expects to be punished for his crime. It isn't as if I'm arbitrarily tossing him out in the street. I've tried other methods to correct him. This would never be my first choice and he knows that. Don't discount Jasper's intelligence, love. That makes all the difference in the world."

"You said…."

Carlisle eased her slightly back to gaze into her eyes as he cocked a questioning brow. "I said that I expect him to be angry with me. I am forcing a separation of mates. How could I not expect him to be angry? If I was in his situation, I would be furious, but I also trust Jasper to understand my reasons. He is smart and he has a huge heart; that is what got him into this mess in the first place. I am counting on those two properties to bring him around and allow him to forgive me."

Esme glanced away from her mate while growling softly. There had been a finality to Carlisle's words. His mind was set and his convictions were too strong to be overcome. With a shake of her head she muttered low, "I hope you're right, Carlisle or this will be a very costly mistake."

"I am right, Sweetheart. You'll see. Just have a little faith; if not in me, at least put it in Jasper. He does deserve it after all."

Esme allowed herself to be wrapped once again in Carlisle's loving embrace.

Burying her face against his chest she whispered, "I have faith in you both, but that doesn't make this seem any more reasonable."

"I know, love and I know that my course of action appears to have been made at the spur of the moment, but I assure you that I have put a great deal of thought into it. I've weighed the benefits and consequences very carefully. I didn't come to this conclusion lightly."

"I realize that, Carlisle. I never thought that you did."

He placed a kiss on her forehead then said with a sigh, "So, are you still willing to support my decisions?"

"In front of the children, yes, but I reserve the right to question them in private."

With a smile, Carlisle gave a slight nod. "That seems quite reasonable, Mrs. Cullen. One of the things I treasure about you is your ability to keep me on my toes."

"Doctor Cullen, you should consider yourself lucky that I generally agree with you anyway."

"Oh, believe me, Esme, I am grateful for that on a daily basis."

Lowering his head, he pressed his lips firmly against hers and drew his mate into a deep kiss before breaking away with a light smile. "Still friends?"

The final bit of resistance in Esme melted away as she lost herself in his dark warm topaz eyes while a smile tugged at her lips. "Always, Lover. Nothing could ever change that."

"Is tú mo ghrá."

"As you are mine." Running her hand through his hair, Esme passionately kissed her mate before slipping out of his arms. "I think Jasper has probably suffered long enough with wondering when the ax will fall, don't you?"

"I do. I believe he has actually suffered too long." He kissed her gently then relinquished his hold on his mate.

"Do you want me to come with you to tell him?"

Carlisle shook his head. "No, Sweetheart, this is something that will be better just coming from me; that way if he does get mad, it will only be at one of us. I would prefer for you to remain his safe haven."

Esme nodded as her husband headed towards the door. "Carlisle."

At her call, her mate glanced back over his shoulder.

"If you need me…."

A sad smile formed on his lips and reflected in the depths of his eyes. "I most certainly will. Thank you, my love, for trying to understand."

Steeling himself for what he prayed was the final confrontation of the night; Carlisle ducked through the door and strode slowly towards the stairs to deliver the verdict to his stubborn solider son.

* * *

**AN:** Beating Carlisle up quite a bit here. He is going through hell since sending Jasper away goes against everything he believes in, but he needed to do something significant enough to shock Jasper back to his senses.

Thanks for all the reviews, PM, and support; it really is a humbling experience, guys. Can't thank my wonderful beta any where near enough. Thanks, Splinter!

I'm getting ready to take on a couple of characters that my research has really proved more or less useless for. That means uncharted territory and a bit more work for yours truly, so please bear with me. I'm going to try my best to do them justice.

Gaelic lesson #... I have no idea anymore...

a shíorghrá ... My eternal love / a stóirín... My little darling / a chumann ... sweetheart / Mo shearc... My Love / Is tú mo ghrá... You are my love

Carlisle is highly stressed which is why his Irish is starting to come through a bit more. I was a bit surprised when he went with it while talking to Alice. Esme has come to understand it. Jasper goes with the emotions that are linked to the words and doesn't worry about the words themselves. ...Alice must just be confused by it. Luckily, she appeared to ignore it.

Thanks again, y'all and I hope your holidays are as fantastic as each and every one of you all are.

Oh, and yes... Edward's butt is in a sling now. Carlisle has had it with the mental probing. ;-)


	14. Sentencing

As Carlisle headed down the hallway towards Jasper and Alice's room, he was stopped short at the sight of his little girl sitting on the floor outside of his study door with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head bowed. Shocked concern shown clearly on the patriarch's face. He had expected to find her comforting Jasper, not curled on the floor alone.

Flitting to her side, he dropped to his knees next to his princess and gently tipped her head up towards his. To further Carlisle's confusion, his daughter's eyes were twinkling with mirth even though irritation and sorrow was clearly etched on her face.

"Baby, what on earth is going on? Why aren't you with your mate?"

"He ran me out." While her eyes still danced, her voice carried the pang of bitter rejection. "He didn't want me in there with him, Daddy."

"Why would he do that? That doesn't make any sense, Princess."

"You'll see soon enough. All I can say is that he is just being Jazzy."

"Hmm." Carlisle cocked a brow as he looked Alice over. "Are you okay?"

Alice nodded quickly. "Yes, Daddy, but I think I'll go down stairs while you two talk. I'm a bit afraid that it will all be just a little too upsetting even though I know…." She allowed her statement to fade.

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Sweetie. There is no need for you to explain yourself to me."

Getting to his feet, Carlisle reached a hand to Alice and helped her up. Giving her a quick hug, he aimed her at the stairs and sent her on her way with a light swat.

Giving a soft squeak, Alice pranced down the hall before coming to a stop as she glanced back at Carlisle heading towards her bedroom.

"Daddy."

He stopped and looked over his shoulder at his daughter standing near the steps.

Shaking her head, Alice pointed towards the study door.

Carlisle cocked his head to the side as he raised a brow only to be met by a nod from his little girl before she bounded off down the stairs.

Slowly opening the door Carlisle was assaulted by the over powering scent of leather dressing that hung thick in the air. Closing the heavy wooden door behind him with a quiet click, he quickly located the source of the odor.

Laid out on his desk on top of its fabric wrapping was his father's strap, freshly oiled and ready to be put into use. The bottle of dressing and a soiled rag sat next to the wicked implement and beside that was the nearly as intimidating sight of Jasper's own paddle.

His golden eyes flickered from the assembled tools to his son who stood silently in the same corner that Carlisle had placed him in earlier; his hands held locked behind his back and dressed in just his shirt, boxers and socks.

Carlisle rubbed his eyes then ran his hand over his face as he groaned softly.

"Jasper, how did you get into my desk drawer?"

"I borrowed your keys."

"You stole my keys," Carlisle corrected in a stern tone.

"No, Sah. I'll put 'em back right after we're done. Stealing is taking something that you're reckonin' on keepin'. I aint looking ta keep your keys. I just needed ta borrow 'em in the short term."

"And why did you 'borrow' them at all?"

"The way I figure it, I've got the ass whoopin' of several lifetimes a headin' my way. There was no point in tryin' ta make any excuse for my actions, so might as well make things as easy as possible on ya, Sah."

Carlisle rubbed his eyes again as he shook his bowed head before clearing his throat. "Jasper, put your pants back on, son, and then please come join me over on the couch. We seriously need to talk."

"But, Papa…."

"Son, please do as you're told."

Carlisle retreated to the loveseat and sat as Jasper slowly complied with his father's order.

Once Jasper was settled down next to him, the elder drew a steadying breath. "Jasper, there will not be any more whippings here tonight and, for the record, that strap will never be used on you. While I realize that your heart was in the right place, I don't appreciate you acquiring my keys and invading my privacy. That is not to happen again."

Jasper hung his head and nodded. "Sorry, Sah."

As he leaned back against the soft leather cushion, a wave of nervousness flooded Carlisle's system before receding just as quickly. Patting the boy's knee lightly, the elder gave Jasper what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Jazz. This will all work out though not in the way you apparently thought that it would."

With a tap beneath his son's jaw, Carlisle encouraged the solider to meet his eyes. "I've done a great deal of thinking, Jasper and I can only hope that you took some of this time to reflect on your actions as well."

"I have." Jasper glanced away nervously before adding, "Papa, is it true that he wasn't abusing Amanda; that it was honestly an accident?"

Carlisle nodded. "It does look that way."

Jasper's head drooped. "Then I nearly killed an innocent man and by following through with that I would have put his family through hell as well."

The doctor chose to remain silent to afford Jasper's conscience the chance to reprimand him as the guilt which he had brought upon himself blossomed.

When he realized that no rebuke was forthcoming, Jasper hazarded a glance at his father. "Then why am I not being punished this time when I have been before? If there was ever a time that I deserved ta be soundly thrashed, this would be it. I don't understand, Papa."

Carlisle cleared his throat and drew a breath as he considered his response carefully. "Jasper, how is your backside right now?"

"A bit tender."

"And yet it had no effect in regards to stopping you from hunting down Mr. Hayford, did it?"

Jasper quickly looked away with a mumbled, "I guess not."

"There is no guessing about it, Son. All of my lecturing and a thoroughly tanned posterior did not have the desired effect on your behavior." Carlisle ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to keep himself calm. "It breaks my heart to see you in pain, Jasper and knowing that I am the cause is damn near unbearable. If it's not teaching you to amend your behavior, if it is not serving as a deterrent…." The elder reached out and turned his son's face back towards his, forcing himself to look into his son's eyes as he spoke slowly and clearly. "If it is not serving its intended purpose, then I am doing nothing more than abusing you."

Shock registered in Jasper's dark eyes. "That's ridiculous, Papa."

"Is it? I haven't taught you to control yourself so it seems that all I was doing was venting my frustration on your behind." Carlisle folded his arms over his chest as he studied his son carefully.

"That's not true. You were doing your best to show me why I was wrong. It's not your fault that I have too much of the stubborn jackass in me to listen."

"My intentions do not change the fact that my methods did not work this time. I should have altered my approach sooner. Perhaps we wouldn't be in this situation if I had and you would have been spared at least a bit of needless physical discomfort."

"But I deserved to be punished, Papa. I did then and I still do now." Jasper swallowed at the lump that had formed in his throat. "If there are no consequences for my actions, what's to stop Edward or Emmett or Rosalie from trying something equally as stupid? That's why we have consequences to answer to for breaking the rules. It's to teach us, but it also serves as a warning to the other members of the cov…." He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before glancing back at his father. "Allow me to serve as an example for the rest of the family. I know I was wrong and I know that my behavior was intolerable. I am willing to accept the consequences. I brought this on myself, Papa. It's no one's fault, but my own."

Bringing his balled up fist up against his lips, Carlisle battled with the desire to abandon his plan and just pull his brave intuitive son into his arms and never let him go. Clearing his throat, he nodded slightly then let his arm drop back across his chest.

"Jasper, you are still facing punishment. That was never in question. The question was what form that discipline should take." Carlisle swallowed hard as he struggled to form the words. "Son, since nothing else appears to have gotten through to you and because this gross disobedience has put the family in jeopardy, I feel that it is in the best interest of all concerned that you spend the next two months in Denali."

The silence that followed the patriarch's declaration was deafening; broken only by Carlisle's shallow halted breathing.

Several minutes passed as Jasper stared at his father with stunned disbelief. "You're…you're sending me away? You're banishing me from the coven? Ostracizing me from my family? I'm to become an outcast?"

The quiet hurt tone of Jasper's voice brought tears to Carlisle's eyes which he attempted to hide by quickly standing and walking toward the window as he pinched the bridge of his nose to brush the tears away. Unable to meet his son's accusing eyes for the moment, Carlisle stared out into the darkness as he shook his head.

"It's not like that, Son. You are most certainly not an outcast."

"But I am… or I will be." Jasper got to his feet and approached his father. Placing his hand against the older man's shoulder, he forced Carlisle to turn and look at him. "You are throwing me out of the only home I've ever really known since…." He bowed his head for a moment then glanced back up with fire in his onyx eyes. "You're jettisoning me like some worthless bit of refuse that's mucking up the place."

"I am taking you to stay with your extended family for a short period of time. It is meant to give you a chance to reevaluate your actions and your place in this family. You will never be cast out, Jasper. You always have a home here; a home with a family who loves you regardless of what happens, but you of all people should realize that I have a duty to keep the family safe. When you became a threat, you left me with no other choice but to act."

"And Alice? Is she to be a pariah as well? You're just going to toss her out, too?" The soldier's eyes narrowed as he spat his words out at his leader.

"No one is becoming a pariah, Jasper, but to answer your question; no. Alice will remain behind. You need this time for yourself to do some soul searching. Your mate will not be joining you in that quest."

Jasper's face fell as his eyes grew wide with disbelief and anguish. Had he been human, Carlisle knew his son's features would have blanched white as the words registered in his mind.

"She knows this? She agreed to go along with it?"

"Reluctantly, but yes she did. She wants what is best for you and knows that this is what you need most right now."

Jasper turned away from Carlisle as his chest constricted with grief.

"Son, please try to understand." Carlisle placed his hand against the boy's back but at his touch Jasper spun around towards him with a loud snarl while knocking his father's hand away.

"Don't you dare call me son. You're no father to me. A real father would never reject and torture his offspring like this."

Carlisle felt his temper flare at Jasper's hurtful words, but managed to retain his carefully crafted expression of calm. _He doesn't know what he's saying. He'll come to understand. He just needs time._

"You've poisoned my mate's mind against me. I don't know how you've managed to do that, but I know that she would never abandon me of her own free will."

"Jasper, you are not being abandoned. You are and always will be a member of this family. Even if you don't want me as a father, you are still a son to me; you are a Cullen in every sense of the word."

"If this is what passes for Cullen loyalty, I have no interest in being a Cullen," he sneered scathingly.

Carlisle closed his eyes for a few seconds before taking a breath to ward off the pain and rage that was building in his chest, then spoke softly, "As you wish, Jasper, though that doesn't stop me from loving you and it never will."

"You don't know the meaning of the word, Carlisle." Jasper glared at the older man as a growl rolled in his chest.

Hooking his finger through the leather lacings of his wrist cuff, he snapped the thin strips and yanked the wide band from his arm. "Here!" He tossed the cuff that bore the Cullen crest down at Carlisle's feet. "A worthless flea bitten stray doesn't deserve to wear a collar like some pampered pet. It's not like I belong anywhere anyway so there sure as hell is no need for an identifying marker."

Carlisle swallowed hard as he refrained from even looking at the discarded leather band.

"Are we done here, Carlisle?"

"Yes, Jasper. Our discussion appears to be complete."

"Fine. Then I guess I'll just go pack my things. I take it that you'll be putting me on a plane come morning."

"No. We'll be driving up after we go by the hospital and take care of a few things. I promised Amanda that she would get to see you before she went home."

"Well, at least I can prevent you from letting her down." He bared his teeth slightly before turning his back on his coven leader. "I'll be in my room packing, if anyone in this worthless excuse for a coven has need of me."

Carlisle stood and mutely watched as his son stalked towards the door, yanked it open and then slammed it shut behind with enough force to cause the frame to splinter.

"That went well," the elder quipped bitterly.

Bending down, Carlisle scooped up the leather band and turned it over in his hand as he sighed sadly. The scent of his son radiated from the smooth brown hide as he balled it up in his hand and brought it close to his face. The anger that he had felt during Jasper's outburst was rapidly fading after his son's departure and now all that was left behind was his own crippling grief and regret.

Carlisle returned to the couch and lay down as he curled up with his son's cuff still clutched tightly in his hand. "What have I done? Oh dear Lord, please let this have been the right choice. At least he will still be around family who will care for him. It's not like I've abandoned him out on his own or delivered him into the hands of strangers. Why can't he see that right now?"

With a shake of his head he groaned softly. "It's not that he can't, it's that he won't. He feels betrayed. I can only hope that this is something that he will be able to accept in time and learn to forgive me." The venom tears returned to Carlisle's eyes, but this time he did nothing to impede their flow. _What if he never does get over it? What if he starts to blame Alice for going along with me? Surely he wouldn't go that far. Jasper doesn't have it in him to be that cruel. _

A light tap on the door interrupted Carlisle's thoughts.

"Come."

With some effort, Esme forced the door open then stepped in before glancing back up at the splintered frame.

"I'll fix it tomorrow or the next day. It will hold until then," Carlisle muttered from his place on the couch.

"And you? How are you holding up?"

"I can honestly say that I have been better."

Esme let the door remain cracked open as she went to her mate and knelt down next to him. Gently she stroked his hair as she sighed. "Alice sent me to check on you, not that she really needed to. Right now she is trying to calm Jasper down."

"I assume that you heard?"

She nodded. "The entire household did."

Carlisle closed his eyes and turned away from his mate as well as the limited space on the small couch would afford. "I take it that the others side with Jasper in this. I can only assume that they see me as an unreasonable monster that has ousted his child as soon as he found himself in an unfavorable position. They probably won't even be able to bear to look at me anymore. Honestly, I'm surprised that you can."

"Don't be too quick to judge your children, Carlisle Cullen and don't ever presume to judge me in matters pertaining to you. The boys are a bit shocked with it all, but Rosalie wants a piece of Major Whitlock in the worst way possible. She was appalled by how he spoke to you and had to be restrained to keep from becoming involved herself. Right now, she and Emmett are out hunting. I felt it best that she work off some of that aggression before she does something that she may come to regret."

"And Edward?"

"He went to take a walk along the river. He is his father's son after all. The idea was that he would be able to think more clearly away from the turmoil of the house, but he wanted you to know that he is staying within ear shot in case he is needed." Esme brushed Carlisle's hair out of his eyes noting how pitch black they had become. "He also asked me to convey his apologies for interfering. Your son will be ready to discuss his indiscretions with you once you are feeling up to it. Edward didn't want to put any more stress on you, but he said that he did see where he was wrong and accepts that punishment is due."

"Somehow, that doesn't seem like quite the pressing matter at the moment."

"Which is why he added that 'when he's up to it' bit. They all understand what kind of toll this is taking on you, Carlisle and are each trying to find some way to help see you through." Esme inhaled deeply. "And I'm sorry that I wasn't more supportive."

Carlisle rolled back over to face his mate and reached out to gently brush her cheek. "There is nothing to be sorry about, my heart. I don't expect us to always agree. I will always welcome your opinion even when it's not one that I share. It is better for me to be shown how situations appear to others. That is the only way that I can know that I have carefully weighed all of my options."

Seeing the sadness swirling in the inky depths of his eyes, Esme shook her head. "I still don't agree with you, Carlisle, but I do believe in what you said and I want you to do the same."

"I said a lot of things tonight, darling. I'm afraid that you're going to have to be a bit more specific."

"I heard you questioning yourself and Jasper's ability to overcome this before I came in. You asked me to have faith, and I do. Now I am asking you to trust that your son will recognize the error in his words. He will forgive you Carlisle, just as I know that you will forgive him."

"I already have forgiven him, Esme, but it still hurts."

"I know it does, lover and I'm certain that Jasper is hurting just as much." Leaning over she kissed his cheek. "We are a family; every one of us draws strength from that fact. Jasper instinctively knows that he is going to need to rely on that strength and should he try to ignore that fact or forget it, he has Alice to remind him. Your daughter knows how to get through to her mate so that is someone else in whom you need to place your faith."

Carlisle gave his wife a weak smile. "I never doubt a single one of my girls. My faith in their indomitable wisdom and abilities will never falter."

"See to it that it doesn't, Carlisle and know that we all share the same unshakable faith in you."

* * *

**AN:** I hope that this made sense and that it reasonably satisfies expectations. Carlisle can feel that he is wrong, but I cannot allow him to be wrong in this story. I'm sorry, guys, I did my best to try to reason it out and I couldn't. He has put a great deal of thought into this decision and even discussed it with a neutral party to make sure that what he is doing is in the best interest of all concerned. Eleazar will explain it all to Jasper much better once the cold of Alaska cools off my little hot headed southern boy. Right now he really isn't in a state of mind to listen to anyone except maybe Alice.

Thank you all for your reviews, suggestions, pms, and just sharing your views. I seriously appreciate it all. I think it's absolutely awesome that y'all are willing to read my rambling madness.

Special takes to my wonderfully patient proofreader, Splinter. I simply couldn't get by without her. *hugs*


	15. Into Exile

As the dark sedan purred along the snow flanked highway, silence hung heavily between the two men as it had all morning from the moment that they left the house until this point in the final leg of their journey. Carlisle had just turned off of Highway Three and onto the dirt road that wound its way through the Denali National Park as the snow began to fall.

_This will be a fun few months. Snowbound with a couple of vampires who are tasked with the job of making me miserable out in the middle of six million acres of nothing. Yeah. Great. _

Jasper scowled and let his mind wander as they drove deeper and deeper into the wilderness.

The southern solider had dutifully bid his siblings farewell this morning as all but Alice headed off to school. Jasper's pixie mate had been allowed to stay home to see him off and was attempting to squeeze every last second that she could out of her remaining time with her husband.

She had tried her best to ease his pain, but Jasper had refused to accept her words of comfort. Anything she would say in Carlisle's defense was met with aggression and scorn. In the end, Alice came to feel that it was better to simply let her husband vent his anger while she offered her understanding of his position and frustration along with her quiet support. Even though she couldn't accompany him, she would be with him in spirit every step of the way. As soon as she could, she would be on the phone with him. It was her hope that eventually she would be allowed to visit, but she knew that was going to be something else that her father would list as something Jasper would have to 'earn' through an improvement in his attitude and behavior.

Alice wasn't sure how she would survive two months without her love. It wasn't really that long of a time, as long as she stopped figuring it out in seconds, but it would feel like several lifetimes. She was already missing her mate and here he was still at home. How much worse would if be when he was fifteen hundred miles away?

They would both be suffering for Jasper's indiscretion, but she hoped that her willingness to suffer with him would help open his eyes to the serious nature of this issue. If it wasn't in his best interest to do so, Alice would have never let him go. She could only pray that he knew that her decision had been made with the thought of his life at risk if he didn't alter from the path he was currently on. She had to have faith in her mate to know that her love for him was too strong to not give Carlisle's proposal a try since it meant saving him from the threat of far worse chastisement in the future.

With tears in her eyes, she had kissed her husband goodbye and noted how reluctant he was to return the loving gesture. Alice could tell that he was working hard at keeping his emotions bottled up. Perhaps that was why he was acting so coldly, but finally when she hugged him tightly a bit of his icy facade melted.

"I will miss you, Sweet Alice. You take good care of yourself and always remember that my heart has only ever truly belonged to you."

A tear rolled down her cheek. "The way you're talking, it's like we're not going to ever see each other again. Two months is not so long, and Daddy said that if you behave yourself he might even shorten your sentence."

Jasper scoffed as he tossed his duffel bag into his father's trunk. "Don't be lookin' fer that to happen. Something like that would take Carlisle deciding that he might have been wrong in the first place and we know the universe would cease to exist before Carlisle Cullen could ever be wrong. Besides, y'all are better off without me. All I am is trouble with a capital 'T'. Jest ask Carlisle, if you don't believe me. I'm sure he'll clue ya in."

Sullenly, Jasper turned away from his mate and climbed into the passenger seat then slammed the door shut before a hurt and bewildered Alice could offer any form of rebuttal.

A glance at his mate as the car began to slowly pull out of the drive caused Jasper's heart to shatter. The pain reflected in Alice's eyes was overwhelming to the solider boy. As he watched her turn to Esme for comfort and begin to weep on their mother's shoulder, Jasper looked away in shame.

Alice should be taking refuge in his arms, not in the arms of the Coven Leader's mate. Jasper growled softly as his bitter resentment flared.

In the seat beside him, he noticed Carlisle shift slightly. Realizing that the patriarch must have felt his surge of anger, Jasper quickly dulled his emotions until they could be safely contained. He refused to give Carlisle the pleasure of knowing just how much of a toll his punishment was taking.

The ride to the hospital had been made in silence as Carlisle struggled as well to contain his feelings of hurt and frustration. He could see only harm coming from exposing Jasper to his current emotional state, but the elder had to admit that the complete lack of feeling within the close confines of the car was difficult to endure. He let his mind wander towards what Jasper was experiencing and how the muffled lack of emotion that surrounded them might affect his sensitive son.

As Carlisle pulled his car into his usual space, Jasper hopped out and walked towards the building as if trying to place as much distance as possible between his father and himself.

The few hours that they worked would prove to be a repetition of their arrival. Jasper would stay in Carlisle's presence just as long as absolutely necessary and then find something else to do that would prevent him from having to entertain his leader.

The one exception to this new rule in his behavior was when they checked on and released Amanda Hayford. Jasper regained the ability to tolerate Carlisle for the sake of his little human friend. They laughed and joked around as Jasper helped her gather her belongings while they waited for Carlisle to complete her discharge paperwork; paperwork that the doctor took a little extra time in finalizing for the sake of giving his son a few extra moments of happiness.

"I won't mind getting hurt and having to come to the hospital as much if I get to see you, Jazz." Amanda grinned up at him as she hugged her stuffed horse tight.

"Now that is no reason to go and get yourself hurt. You mind yourself and be careful and I'll tell you what." Jasper quickly glanced around before allowing his smile to widen. "If you stay out of trouble, listen to your Ma and such, when I come back I'll find a stable where I can get a couple of horses and I'll take you riding. With your Ma's permission, of course."

"Really?" Amanda's blue eyes grew wide with excitement. "When can we go?"

"Hold up there, Missy. I said when I get back. I have to take a little trip and will be away for a couple of months from the looks of things. I have some family that I need to spend time with, " he added quickly before she could press him for details. "That's a good thing though; since it will give you time to finish healing up. You have to be in top form before we can hit the trail on horseback so you just follow those doctor's orders and you'll be fit as a fiddle in no time."

Amanda threw her arms around the cowboy's neck as she squealed with delight before she pushed a bit back as a question formed in her eyes. "How will you get in touch with me? I better give you my phone number."

"Eh. No need in that. The hospital has your number. I'll call your Ma and set up the details when the time comes."

She hugged his neck again as he wrapped his arms around her, easily lifting her up and spinning her around causing the little girl to giggle before he leaned back a bit and gave her a serious look. "And don't be goin' and givin' your phone number to strange men. That's not a good practice to get into. Ya hear?"

Giggling all the more, Amanda buried her face against Jasper's chest. "I won't. I promise."

"Good to hear. Now let's go see if your chariot is ready to take you way."

* * *

"Jasper, you don't have to keep everything under wraps like this. You are free to speak your mind. I'm not going to lash out at you, if that is a concern." Carlisle's voice was soft and carried a tone of exhaustion as he stared through the windshield into the blackness of the dense moonlit forest.

_Good. I hope you are feeling guilty about all this shit. You deserve to feel bad, Carlisle. You've lied to me all this time about being a family; about how your coven differs from the others. Your conscience should be beating you senseless after all the hypocrisy of always holding us to be truthful while you lie through your teeth._

Carlisle sighed at his boy's continued stubbornness. "I'm doing this to help you, Jasper. I know that it doesn't seem that way, but it's true. This is the consequence of your actions, but it's not solely meant as the punishment you see it as. If you continue to isolate yourself like you have been doing all day, you will not get from this experience what you need to. This is a learning experience, son."

"I told you not to call me that!" Jasper snarled as his anger rolled over Carlisle in a deluge.

Gritting his teeth to control the flare up in his temper as well as the pain he felt at Jasper's statement, Carlisle nodded slightly.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Jasper, but as I've told you before, you will always be a son to me regardless of how you view our relationship." Carlisle drew a calming breath before adding, "Or lack thereof."

Jasper crossed his arms with a petulant huff and leaned against the window as he closed his eyes while carefully withdrawing back into his shell.

_This is not going well at all. God, please give me the wisdom to do right by my boy. I hate to see him suffering like this. I would rather it be me to suffer in his stead. _

Carlisle felt the chill of uncertainty mixed with a hint of remorse for his actions, but suddenly his carefully monitored emotions skyrocketed causing his body to quake from their force. What was he doing? He was deserting his son when what Jasper needed most from him was just a little kindness and understanding.

_Good Lord, but I'm acting like a tyrant. My boy doesn't deserve that at all. He really is a good son; well behaved with a kind and generous nature. So he made a mistake, can I honestly say that I'm perfect in every way? Of course not. Look at the heinous mistake that I'm making right now and it's all because I'm too damn bullheaded and wouldn't listen to reason. What in the hell has gotten into me that would make me want to neglect my son like this? What has…._

"Jasper Whitlock Cullen, you will stop that this instant!" Carlisle growled in harsh warning.

A glance at his son confirmed his suspicions as a smirk quickly faded from Jasper's face while the crushing guilt that Carlisle had just experienced slowly began to recede back to its normal level.

"If you do that again, Jasper, I will pull this car over and tear your backside up."

Opening his eyes, Jasper treated Carlisle to his most innocent expression. "Do what again? I have no idea what ya talkin' about."

"Don't. Lie. To. Me. BOY." Carlisle snarled through gritted teeth. "You're in enough trouble. It would be much wiser to stop digging that hole you're so set on occupying."

"You can't prove that I did a damn thing, Carlisle, so just get off my back. Maybe it's just your guilty conscience getting the best of ya. Have you ever thought of that?"

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose as he held back an exasperated sigh.

"What has gotten into you? You have always been so mature and responsible, but right now you're acting like a spoiled child. I would have thought that this sort of rebelliousness was beneath you, Jasper. I expect better from you."

"Then you expect too much. I was born a southern rebel after all, Carlisle. It's in my genetic makeup. I would think the high and all mighty doctor would understand that simple concept if nothing else."

"Jasper," Carlisle growled before taking a deep calming breath as he brought the anger and disappointment that he was feeling towards his son back under control.

Easing the car to the side of the road, Carlisle shifted into park before turning to look at his boy with a stern expression in his dark topaz eyes.

"Alright, young man, I have done my best to be patient with you, but this baiting disrespect stops this instant. I demand that you conduct yourself in a respectful manner around Eleazar and Carmen. I will not have them subjected to this temper tantrum in which you have been indulging. You will adjust your attitude accordingly or I shall be forced to do it for you. What shall it be, Jasper? Do you feel that you are capable of controlling yourself, or should I take you in hand right here and now?"

Jasper flinched ever so slightly as the icy edge in his leader's tone sliced into him, but held his tongue.

"I expect an answer, soldier." Carlisle allowed a little of his frustrated disappointment to extend out towards Jasper and was rewarded by a minor softening of his boy's stiff posturing as Jasper glanced down. "No. Look me in the eye and answer my question."

Inhaling deeply, Jasper met his leader's eyes and saw a profound sorrow and worriment melding with the anger that swirled in their golden depths.

"Yes," he whispered then tried to glance away from those eyes to save himself any further discomfort, but Carlisle caught his chin and bought his head back up.

"Yes? Yes what?"

Swallowing hard to clear this throat, Jasper strengthened his voice. "Yes, I can control myself."

"But, will you?"

Pulling back from Carlisle's hold, he nodded. "I will show Eleazar and Carmen the respect that is due them."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes at the rather evasive comment.

"Jasper, I will not warn you about this again. I have no desire to embarrass you in front of our extended family, but I will if that is what it takes to get through to you."

Jasper stared at his leader for a few seconds before finally nodding. "I understand, Carlisle and I won't give you any reason to act. I have no wish to embarrass either of us. I will do my best to represent my coven and myself in the best possible light."

The elder's jaw clenched for a moment at his son's use of the word 'coven', but he knew a pointless battle when he saw one. He could only hope that this time away would give his son some new perspective and that he would once again view them all as a family.

"Best behavior." Carlisle raised a brow as he cocked his head to the side.

Jasper nodded.

"And mind your language, young man. While Eleazar and Carmen may not take offense, I still do. Because of the stress that you have been under, I've been letting that minor offense slide quite a bit, but I will ask that you clean up your act. There is no reason for coarseness around our friends and certainly not around a lady."

"Of course, Carlisle. I do know how to act in front of women. My momma did teach me right."

Carlisle considered the boy for several seconds before he relaxed a bit and restarted the engine.

They fell back into silence as they drove the last miles towards the house that Tanya shared with her coven.

With the sun just beginning to crest over the mountains sending the early morning light to illuminate the white world around them, Jasper and Carlisle soon arrived at the beautiful house constructed oddly in the middle of nowhere.

At the sound of the car pulling up into the yard, Eleazar and Carmen stepped out onto the porch, hand in hand, with welcoming smiles on their faces.

As he glanced at his 'cousins', a suddenly disturbing thought struck Jasper. Clearing his throat, he gained Carlisle's attention.

"Carlisle, if I do have a… a moment… would Eleazar…."

The patriarch drew a deep breath and slowly released it before speaking softly. "It is his roof that you will be living under so you will be required to obey his rules and would be subject to any consequences should you break those rules."

Carlisle was hit by a wave of uneasiness tinged with a fraction of fear and a crippling wash of embarrassment.

"What would those consequences be?"

The patriarch's brow furrowed as he thought for a moment, before he answered in a quiet serious tone. "I don't honestly know, Jasper. Since Eleazar was a member of the Volturi Guard, it is quite feasible that his disciplinary methods could be extremely harsh. As you know, the Volturi style of punishment generally takes the form of death, but he has promised me that he will return you alive." Carlisle slipped into thought once again before adding softly as if simply speaking his thought out loud for his own benefit. "He never did say anything about being in one piece, though."

The horrified look on Jasper's face brought a chuckle from the elder as a broad grin blossomed across his face.

"Relax, Jasper. I'm just joking with you. You should realize that. I can say for certain that Eleazar would never harm you. I wouldn't allow it and he is well aware of that fact. Of course that would also be very out of character for him anyway, so you have nothing to worry about, Major. You will be perfectly safe here."

Jasper glared darkly at Carlisle, finding no humor in his leader's teasing, but his irritation quickly passed as his nervousness flared once more. "Does he know how your coven is … managed?"

"Yes, he does," Carlisle answered gently.

"Would he…? Well…. You know." Jasper couldn't bring himself to voice his concern.

"I don't think so, but he does have my permission to use whatever methods of correction he deems appropriate in addressing any misbehavior on your part."

Jasper gazed into his father's eyes to judge the truthfulness of his statement before his own eyes widened as his breath caught in his chest. Carlisle was in earnest and at this revelation Jasper bowed his head in humiliation. Were he still human his face would have been blood red. As it was, he could feel a phantom heat radiating from his cheeks.

For the first time in that entire day, Carlisle reached out and laid his hand on his son's arm without having Jasper respond by pulling away. "Don't worry. There is no reason for you to ever find out what the consequences entail as long as you don't break the rules."

Jasper's heavy sigh caused Carlisle a moment of regret before he reaffirmed his decision. This was the best thing that he could do for his son and he would see it through. Running his hand through the boy's tangled locks in a comforting manner, he was shocked and elated to find Jasper receptive to his touch. "Two months, Jasper. It's not that long of a period of time to behave yourself, is it?"

"No. I suppose it's not."

Carlisle sighed softly as he shook his head. "It definitely is not, Jasper. You have always been very well behaved. How long were you with us before you ever found yourself in trouble?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders.

"It was several years and even then you rarely give me any problems. Right now we've run into a bit of a snag, you and I, but we'll get past it and this is the first step." He nodded towards Jasper's door indicating his desire for the boy to step out and accept his sentence with the grace that only his southern military minded son possessed.

With a nod Jasper squelched his runaway emotions and returned to the cold silent boy who had accompanied Carlisle all day and night. Slipping out of the car, he gathered his duffel bag and guitar case before stoically approaching his host with a somber look upon his face.

Carlisle groaned as his son reverted back to his sullen state. He had hoped for, but honestly hadn't expected to be treated to any different behavior in Jasper. It would certainly take more time to repair their relationship, though thankfully if there was one thing that they did have in abundance, it was time.

"Jasper! We're so glad to have you. Welcome!" Carmen opened her arms, her heart and her home to Carlisle's recalcitrant son. As soon as he had stepped close enough, Jasper found himself smothered in her loving embrace which caused him to stiffen slightly. Not wanting to make him anymore uncomfortable, Carmen released him and took a half step back while smiling warmly as she glanced from Jasper to Carlisle. "How was the trip up? With the snow, I was concerned that the roads would have become treacherous. We were both worried about you."

Carlisle smiled. "The drive was as pleasant as possible given the circumstances." The fair haired elder extended his hand towards Eleazar who took it without hesitation and gripped it firmly. "Thank you for opening your home to Jasper. I will never forget this."

"It is our pleasure, Carlisle. We are only too happy to offer any assistance that we can." Eleazar nodded his head slightly before turning his attention to the boy. "Jasper, why don't you go in the house? Carmen will help you get set up in your bedroom. She has been preparing it from the moment that we first learned of your visit. We hope that you'll find the lodgings comfortable."

"I'm sure that they will be just fine, Sir. Thank you very much for your hospitality."

Jasper gave Eleazar a quick nod before allowing himself to be herded into the house by an overly exuberant Carmen.

"You play the guitar?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, I can't wait to hear you play, Jasper. You don't happen to play flamenco, by any chance?" Carmen's bright eyes danced with an excitement that caused Jasper to smile in spite of his situation.

Eleazar smiled as well as he watched his mate disappearing into the security of their home with Jasper in tow before he turned back to Carlisle. "Care to stretch your legs after such a long drive, my friend?"

"That does sound like an excellent idea."

With a nod, Eleazar directed Carlisle towards a mountain path that wound through the isolated rock strewn locale.

Once they were a safe distance from the house, Eleazar broke their silence. "Are you positive that this is what you want to do, Carlisle?"

"I'm not entirely sure of anything at the moment, but I think it is for the best. It appears that I can't help him and we both know the consequences should this behavior continue. I won't put my family into that sort of situation if there is any way that it can be avoided."

"But to split a bonded pair up like this." The dark haired Spaniard scowled slightly. "I don't know, Carlisle. You have seen the repercussions that such an action can have or need I remind you?"

With a sigh Carlisle shook his head. "No. I'm aware of what can happen, but this is an entirely different situation. He knows that within a set time he will be reunited with his mate. While I'm sure there will be some effect, it shouldn't be that terrible and it will be self-correcting."

"And what of the mate? How does she feel about this and what will the effect be on her?"

"She has agreed that this temporary separation is in Jasper's best interest. None of us are happy with this situation, but right now he needs separation from his triggers along with time and space to regain his focus on what's important. Alice recognizes this and is willing to endure for the sake of her mate.

It will be difficult on her, but she has the family to look to as a lifeline and I hope Jasper will find the same in Carmen and yourself."

"Of course, Carlisle. We will do all that we can for the boy, but I still will warn you, do not keep this pair out of contact for long. I cannot stress that enough. Think about the affect this would have on you, if you were forced away from Esme for a length of time. Let that guide your decisions and keep Marcus in mind should you be tempted to prolong their isolation."

Carlisle nodded as he stopped along the path to watch an eagle peacefully floating along on an updraft high overhead.

"He is not to be allowed his cell phone for a week, Eleazar. After that first week, I'll call and ask you to return it to him so he and Alice can talk. I think if he sees it as something that he must earn through good behavior, we'll see a marked improvement and he will cherish the time that he has with her all the more."

"Visitation?"

"Perhaps. I haven't decided just yet and will have to let you know. Depending on how seriously he takes this and how much effort he is willing to put into correcting his behavior, I may bring him home earlier than planned. If I do that, then I don't see the point to allowing visits."

"The point is that it will make him feel more supported." Eleazar's tone was one of soft rebuke which caught Carlisle off guard. The elder Cullen began to speak, but his friend continued before he had the chance. "Carlisle, calling on the phone is good, but seeing his loved ones face to face is much better; it's much more personal and shows that you care enough to make the journey solely for him. It's easy to pick up the phone. There is much more effort in driving for a day to see your boy which is something that he will recognize and respond to."

Carlisle thought for a moment before his expression turned to one of abashment. With a sad sigh he nodded. "You're right, Eleazar. I don't know what I was thinking." He rubbed his eyes in frustration. "I'm so worried that this will backfire on me and now… well obviously I'm not thinking as clearly as I had believed. What if I'm completely wrong? I only want what is in the best interest of my son." A sadness suddenly clouded the elder's eyes as he gave a snort of humorless laughter. "My son. He won't even allow me to call him that anymore."

Eleazar leaned back against the stone outcropping as he took in the sight of his troubled friend. "He will allow it again when it feels right to him. You are going to have to just give him whatever time he requires. This is the first time that you have taken such drastic measures with any member of your family?"

Without uttering a word, Carlisle looked to Eleazar for a long moment before closing his eyes to hide his pain while nodding slowly.

"Then it will be a hard adjustment for everyone, but I know you and your family. The bonds between your offspring, mate and yourself are strong." He walked towards Carlisle and placed a hand on the man's shoulder causing the doctor to return his focus towards his friend. "Events such as this test those bonds, Carlisle. I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know. The bond that you and Jasper share will be tested, but not destroyed. It will only be made stronger in the end. You will see."

"Tempering through flames, I suppose."

"And made even more resilient as a result." Eleazar gave Carlisle a slight smile. "I will make certain that the boy is supported and I will expand his knowledge of the Volturi so that he may better comprehend the hazards that are out there. What he does with that knowledge will be up to him. As I said on the phone, I will not push him. It will do no good if he is not allowed to draw his own conclusion. Pushed, he will naturally resist. Guided, he will find his own path and the truth at its end. He is wise, Carlisle. You've told me that yourself on several occasions. It is time for you to believe in him."

Carlisle grimaced. "I just reminded Esme of that fact."

"See. Then it must be true for I know that you would never lie to your mate."

The warmth of Eleazar's smile touched Carlisle and lifted the heavy burden slightly from his shoulders.

"Come my friend, let us get back before Carmen has time to talk your boy into performing a concert. I think it would be better if he was settled in before we make demands on him, but mi cariño does have an irrepressible love of music and dance. I get the feeling that having Jasper in the house is going to end up being a real work out for me." Eleazar rolled his eyes and sighed.

Carlisle laughed softly as he slapped his friend on the back. "Somehow, I don't think Jasper will mind very much and Carmen's happiness is bound to do him some good."

"On that point, we do agree." The Spaniard grinned as he and Carlisle made their way back across the desolate landscape towards the house and the warmth it provided.

* * *

Several hours later, Carlisle once again found himself behind the wheel of his car, but this time he was alone; alone with his thoughts and nearly a day's drive ahead of him in which to entertain them.

_What if Eleazar was wrong about Jasper coming around? Oh hell, what if he was right about the damage that I stand to do to Jasper and Alice, both. No. I can't think that way. I'm doing this for them. Things will be better in the long run. They may never thank me for doing this, but it is something that had to be done._

_Jasper seemed calm enough when I left. He was even laughing and joking a bit with Carmen. He'll be fine. I know he will be. He has to be. I don't know what I would do if he were to become despondent. That wouldn't happen, would it? How long without your mate is too long? Surely he will survive just fine …but what if he doesn't? Would Alice still be able to get through to him if the worst occurs? Oh dear God, have I just inadvertently doomed my son to an apathetic state of existence? _

Carlisle ran his hand through his hair as his thoughts turned increasingly darker. Suddenly he shook his head to drive his spiraling doubt away.

_Didyme was killed. Marcus lost his mate out right and with her, his soul. That was an extreme case; a terminal case. This is not the same thing. I have not condemned my son to that sort of torturous existence. Maybe I should let Alice call him when I get home; just to check on him and make sure that he has settled in alright._

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the patriarch heaved a heavy sigh.

_No, Carlisle. You will do no such thing. He won't learn anything from this experience if you give in. There is no way that he will turn into the next Marcus and you know that. Jasper and Alice have been apart for a week before when he and his brothers went out hunting. They will be okay. _

_But what if I'm wrong?_

_You're not wrong. He needs this. You are doing this for the boy. Let him learn from his mistakes._

_But I've isolated him._

_With family. Carmen and Eleazar will see to his needs. They will comfort him as needed and offer a shoulder to cry on if it comes to that. He's safe and he's loved._

_But he should be safe with me. It should be my love that comforts him. Instead I've become the demon who has ripped him from his family and sentenced him to hell. I promised to protect him and care for him and this is how I repay the trust he has placed in me. _

Pulling the car onto the shoulder of the road, Carlisle leaned his head against the steering wheel as he found himself overcome by grief and regret. The emotions that he had kept bottled up all day in an attempt to protect his sensitive son, suddenly broke free and found release through his inconsolable anguished sobs. The perpetually confident and fearless leader of the Olympic Coven found himself all alone on a desolate stretch of wilderness road brought to tears by a single reoccurring bitter thought.

"I've failed. Oh dear God, forgive me, for I have failed my son."

* * *

**AN:** Sorry that this was slow in coming. Working security in retail at Christmas... well you get the idea. Better late than never, though. ;-)

I would truly like to thank everyone for the mind blowing reviews on the last chapter. Good, bad or somewhere in between, they are all thought provoking and extremely interesting. I honestly never thought that a simple little chapter would create such passionate responses. Maybe it is true that security is just my day job and what I really am is a writer at heart. LOL.

This chapter covered a lot of ground in a small space. I hope it answered some concerns.

Thanks to each and everyone who struggles along with the characters and myself through these stories. Your support means the world and helps me find my Muse when the blasted thing runs away on me. Frankly, I think it had a little bit too much holiday cheer, but that's been corrected...for now. Special thanks to Splinter, without whom, I'm not sure that I would be able to get these chapters out... at least not the form of anything legible. ;-)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Now lets put this year behind us so we can have a better one. Woo Hooo!


	16. Healing First Steps

Several days had passed since Carlisle so unceremoniously dumped Jasper on Eleazar's door step and the youth was beginning to settle into the general routine of the Denali household. He missed the hustle and bustle of the mornings back at home, but it was actually rather pleasant to not be bombarded with the turbulent teen emotions that had become the backdrop of his everyday life. Eleazar and Carmen were both calm by nature which quickly took the edge off of Jasper's own emotional turmoil. Whenever he felt himself becoming agitated he found that honing in on their steady emotional states worked wonders towards keeping his control, though he couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't able to do the same at home with Carlisle and Esme. Perhaps the others created too much interference, or maybe Carlisle wasn't as calm as he always tried to appear.

Jasper's eyes narrowed at the thought. Maybe everything was a lie, even the steadfast calm and compassion that was synonymous with Carlisle Cullen. He really should have realized this much sooner. By their very nature, vampires were the greatest fabricators of fiction. They were forced to be in order to survive. Deception was as crucial to their survival as air was to a human's. It was second nature for a creature whose existence was forced to appear to be a remnant of the early twisted human imagination left to be reduced to a footnote in the dusty tomes of folklore.

Yes, deception, deceit, treachery, fraud; those were all key talents of the vampire, and one who had lived as long as Carlisle and had seen as much, must be well versed in all of the various methods of trickery that it takes to survive. Jasper shouldn't really have been surprised by that. It was likely that Carlisle himself didn't even realize that he was living a lie. If you live the lie long enough you become the lie, after all.

What annoyed Jasper the most was that he had bought into the lie of being a family. He should have known better, but he had come to believe that it was more than just their cover story. He had allowed himself to weaken and fell for Carlisle's biggest lie. He allowed himself to become vulnerable by believing that the man held him in the same regard that he would a son.

_Ha._ It was laughable really. Carlisle might see in Edward a son that he would have liked to have had were he still human, but there was no way that he could possibly feel the same for the scarred solider who showed up on his doorstep late one night with a mate telling wild tales of visions of a better life...a family life. _Who in their right mind would accept that package into their family?_

It had been so picture perfect, which really should have been his first clue, and while he had remained on his guard for a good number of years, eventually he found himself wanting to believe the yarns that the coven leader wove. He should have known better. He should have kept his distance and listened to that voice that told him things like this were impossible. If he had then he would have never allowed himself to become hurt and end up suffering like he was now.

_You can be such a dumbass sometimes, Whitlock. Land sakes, it's a wonder that you managed to stay alive this long._

A firm gentle hand on his shoulder jerked the boy out of his reflection.

"What are you reading?" Eleazar nodded towards the book in Jasper's hands.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just one of those civil war story books that got it all wrong. I swear one of these days I'm going to write a true account of the war and get it published, just to set the record straight."

The dark haired man smiled as he took a seat in the chair across from Jasper next to the fire. "Just make sure that you don't write it as a firsthand account. I dare say that it wouldn't raise suspicions so much as it would target you as a mental case."

"True that, but I just get so tired of all the lies. It would be nice to have a little truth for a change. You know what I mean?"

Eleazar rubbed his chin as he studied the fair haired youth for several seconds before speaking. "I think that you are speaking of more than this misinformation through history, no?"

"It's hypocritical, Eleazar." Jasper tossed his book on the coffee table as he sat up on the edge of his seat. "We all know that we have to lie to keep our secret, but we shouldn't lie to each other or ourselves. Carlisle had taken a stance on showing respect for each other by always being truthful and then I find out that he's the biggest liar of us all."

"As you say, he must lie to protect his family from discovery..."

"He lied to me." Jasper poked his fingers against his breast as he spoke while his eyes reflected the betrayal that came through in his tone.

"Jasper, where do you see this lie of Carlisle's?"

"All around me. Every time he called me his son, it was nothing but a lie; this affection that he claimed to have for me. His word that he would protect my mate and me, that he would never betray us. Lies. All lies."

Jasper found himself suddenly on his feet pacing as his frustration fought to find some sort of outlet. He wanted to punch something; break something, but he knew that he was expected to control himself. He was expected to contain his nature and be a tame vampire who obeyed his master's every command. Jasper snorted out a half laugh. _Oh, yes, respect the property of others, just one more of the great Carlisle Cullen's rules. Well guess what, Carlisle; I don't have to obey your rules any longer._

Drawing back, Jasper gathered all of the rage he had built up and set it free as his fist sailed through the air to collide with the nearest wall, shattering a stud along with the sheetrock overlay.

At the sound of the splintering two by four, Eleazar glanced up at the ceiling before giving an easy sigh. "Thankfully that isn't a weight bearing wall."

"What was that?" Carmen rushed in from the next room. "Jasper, are you alright?"

Jasper, his anger quickly abating, stared at his white chalky dust covered fist with an expression of abject horror. "Eleazar. Carmen. I'm... "

Eleazar waved the boy's apology away. "It's alright, Jasper. It's nothing that can't be repaired. I was thinking about taking a drive out to Fairbanks this evening anyway. Maybe we can find some new more accurate reading material for you along with the supplies needed for the repair."

Jasper hung his head in disgrace while Carmen gently examined his hand, as if he could have injured it.

"I'm alright, Carmen. There's no need ta be worryin' 'bout me."

"Then go clean yourself up while I get this back in order." As she spoke a chunk of dry wall crashed to the floor bringing a sigh from Jasper's host. "As back in order as possible, anyway."

"No, let me do that. It's my fault and I'll clean it up." Jasper stooped down and began to gather the larger pieces of sheetrock before a broom swatted him lightly on the shoulder.

"Do as you're told, young man. Now go get cleaned up. It takes time to get to Fairbanks and if you are to get there before the stores close then you better get a move on. Go on, now." She shooed him away with her broom before setting to the task of cleaning up the debris.

"Yes, ma'am," Jasper muttered before slinking off down the hall towards the bathroom.

Closing the door quietly behind him, the solider looked up at his reflection in the mirror. _What in the hell did you just do? Eleazar really should just… Shit, Carlisle would whip the living snot out of you right now and rightfully so. If you can't control your temper better than that… well hell, Whitlock, you're no better than some rabid animal. Pull yourself together, boy. You wouldn't take kindly to someone walking into your home and destroying it, so what makes you think that it's alright to do that shit to someone else?_

Turning on the tap, Jasper let the water run for a few minutes to warm up before he washed the gypsum dust from his hand and forearm. Watching the slurry spin down the drain, the empath suddenly found his curiosity peaked. Eleazar should have been angry with him, but he had remained calm. Even if the elder vampire hadn't been upset by the damage for whatever reason, surely he should have been influenced by Jasper's anger, but none of that had shown through his host's words or actions. Eleazar continued to be as unruffled as the boy had ever seen him which made no sense to the youth at all. Was this some hidden ability in the elder or could it be that Jasper was subconsciously improving his control over his gift?

Running his damp hands through his hair, the solider glared at his reflection once again. "You are not going to pull that shit again. You're going to fix the damage you caused, apologize and do whatever it takes to make amends."

"Jasper, I'll be waiting out in the car for you when you're ready."

At Eleazar's velvety voice, the boy shook his head completely disgusted with himself and left the relative safety of the bathroom.

Walking back into the living room, Jasper spied Carmen humming to herself as she ran the vacuum cleaner to pick up the fine particles that the broom had missed. The southern solider found himself feeling even more guilt for his actions and his body language showed it.

As he headed towards the door with his head held low, Carmen called out to him while her concern seeped in to meld with his own emotions of regret and despair. "Jasper, are you sure that your hand is alright?"

He gave her a slight smirk as he raised his hand in the air and wiggled his fingers. "Quite sure, Carmen, but I thank you for caring."

"Oh Jasper, of course I care. We all care a great deal for you." She walked over to him and cupped his face in her hands as she raised it to look into his eyes. "Everything will be alright, Jasper. I know that it is a hard thing for you to do right now, but try to trust us. We only want to help."

He smiled weakly and swallowed hard as he fought to contain his roiling emotions.

Releasing his face, she hugged him tightly before letting him go with a pat on the back. "You two just be careful out there and come back to me in one piece. I would hate to have to explain to Carlisle if anything should happen to you."

Jasper snorted dismissively at the idea that Carlisle would even care about him anymore, but simply nodded to Carmen before slipping out the door.

The two and a half or so hour drive to Fairbanks had been quiet, but Jasper took the time to relax and enjoy the scenery which had a soothing effect on the boy.

"Heavy snow coming tonight. We'll want to get back as soon as we can to avoid road closures. Shouldn't take us long at the home supply store, then we can make a quick stop for a couple of books."

"Do you know of a music store in town?"

"A couple and they also sell some CDs at the book outlet."

"Good. I need to pick something up, if we have the time."

"We can always make time regardless of the weather. It's just easier if we don't have to find alternate routes."

"Eleazar, I'm very sorry for the damage that I've caused and for forcing you to have to make this trip. If I had behaved better…."

"Jasper, stop. I've already told you that there is no need for that. Accidents occur. I would appreciate it if you would be more careful or find a better outlet to funnel your aggression through, but I expect such things could happen. This is hardly the first wall to be damaged and I can mostly guarantee that there will be others. We'll fix it and it will be better than new. You'll see. Don't let it trouble you like this."

Jasper glanced down at his hands as they rested idly folded in his lap and sighed. "I still feel bad about it all."

The dark Spaniard smiled gently as he patted the boy's knee. "That's a good thing. It shows that you have a conscience that has remained active. Not many of our kind can say such things, but now I am telling you to forgive yourself. It was an accident and nothing more."

Jasper closed his eyes while silently slipping into thought. What had Carlisle told him? _Regret. Repentance. Restitution. Rehabilitation. _His father's… his coven leader's words echoed in his head. Those were the keys to forgiveness.

_Regret? Check. I certainly am regretting this stupid move. Repentance? Well Carlisle said that owning up to your mistake and honestly apologizing for it works there. I guess even if Eleazar doesn't feel the need to accept it, the fact that I still tried to offer an apology more or less counts for that one. Step three, restitution. _He gritted his teeth as he considered that part more carefully. How was he supposed to offer restitution? Carlisle would have simply taken it out of his hide, but apparently Eleazar wasn't of the same mindset. Was he supposed to just ask for punishment? _Are you completely out of your mind?_

The young blonde swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, before he raised his head to glance at the man sitting next to him.

"Eleazar, if I'm going to be able to forgive myself, then I need to make amends somehow. I need to perform some sort of act of restitution. It's one of the steps that I need to make."

Without taking his eyes off the road, the older vampire softly replied. "You will make restitution, Jasper. Don't you worry about that at all."

Jasper swallowed audibly before closing his eyes tightly as he racked up his courage. "Um, well, Carlisle usually takes it out of my hide. Are you going to… well, he said that you know how the Coven works."

"Indeed, I do and his methods have served Carlisle and all of you quite well over the years. Keeping such a large coven together in a peaceful coexistence is a great accomplishment to be sure, but no. I have no wish to …." Eleazar squinted slightly as he picked out Jasper's terminology, "take it out of your hide. Restitution means to restore, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Will you not be restoring the wall that you damaged back to its proper working order?"

"Well, yeah, but…."

"But, what? That is restitution in its most basic form. You will restore the wall and thereby make restitution for what you've done."

"I didn't really think of it like that."

"Then you should start to." Eleazar glanced at the nervous boy and gave him a reassuring smile. "Perhaps you can teach Carlisle a thing or two when you return home. Old dogs can learn new tricks regardless of what you've been told." He winked before turning serious. "Is that all you need now to move on from here?"

_Rehabilitation can't be shown until I have proven that I won't do it again so…._ Jasper smiled at his cousin. "Yeah, I think it is."

"Good. Then there is no more need to discuss what is now past history. I see nothing that requires forgiveness and you've forgiven yourself so it is all smooth sailing from here."

"I guess it is." Jasper laughed softly before settling against the door with a lighter spirit as the sign for Fairbanks came into view.

Entering the city, Eleazar found himself suddenly struck by a thought he had neglected. "Jasper, it's my turn to be sorry. How are you for being in the stores? You have yet to hunt since your arrival. I should have considered that fact sooner. For that, I must apologize."

"No, I'm fine. I will probably go on a hunt tomorrow or the day after, but for now I should be good. It's always a bit of a challenge regardless."

Eleazar nodded in understanding as they pulled up to the parking lot of the home improvement store.

It didn't take the two men long to locate the various items that they would need, and soon they found themselves in a checkout line when something unusual caught Jasper's eye. Leaving his cousin to hold their place, he wandered over to a small display of plants, books and a variety of horticulture offerings .

"Orchids? In Alaska?"

He heard Eleazar chuckle. "Where do you need the bright colors of the tropics more than in a frozen white wasteland?"

"Esme would love these." The youth stroked the delicate petals gently while thinking back on what had been the catalyst that started the ball that rolled him all the way to Denali.

"You should buy her one to bring back home with you."

Jasper shook his head. "No. I would just end up killing it before we ever got it there. They're not easy to keep. Esme has the knack, but a green thumb is something that I haven't had for a very long time."

"You sell yourself short, Jasper. Carmen has plant lights and all you need to do is make sure to have the right type of plant food and enough water. All living things take the same type of loving care to grow and flourish. Get it. It will be a good project for you. Who knows, maybe you'll end up teaching Esme a thing or two and you'll have two old dogs with new tricks in their repertoire." He gave the boy a wink as he smiled encouragingly.

The boy looked over the plants again and shook his head before mumbling, "Oh what the hell."

Jasper chose the sturdiest looking plant and whispering a near silent "sorry" to it before retrieving a book on tropical plant care, a box of feed and a mister to attempt to keep it alive for the two months it would be subjected to his care. _Wonder if you got any of those farming skills left somewhere in that poor excuse for a brain you've been working with?_

Returning to their place in line the solider pushed Eleazar slightly out of the way and paid for the plant along with the supplies to repair the wall. It seemed like a small gesture, but it was the only thing that he could think to do to honestly begin to make amends for his deplorable display earlier. His hosts had been nothing but kind to him; there was no reason to take his frustration out on them or their home.

At the book store, Jasper found several books of interest as well as a couple of CDs and a few magazines to keep him occupied should the snowy weather keep him trapped indoors. A book of flamenco music found its way into his stack of future reading, a subject that did not escape Eleazar's attention.

"You should not encourage her. First she will have you playing nonstop and then for me there will be the dancing. I thought we were friends, Jasper? Why would you do this to me?"

"Dancing keeps you young, Eleazar." Jasper smirked as he paid the clerk for his purchases.

"Dancing wears my poor feet out. A little dancing is fine, but mi amor does not know when enough is enough."

"For Alice it's shopping. You want to talk about wear the feet out. Try being the designated pact mule for the Shopping Queen. I would take dancing over that any day."

Eleazar smiled then reached over and punched Jasper lightly in the shoulder before ruffling up the youth's hair. "You say that now. I'll tell you what. I'll learn the guitar and you can take up the dancing with Carmen, then we'll see your tune change."

Jasper laughed sending a jolt of happiness through Eleazar. "Only if you go on the next shop-a-thon with Alice."

"Done." Eleazar shook Jasper's hand before slipping his arm around the boy's shoulder and tussling with him a bit on the way to the car to make their way back to what the boy was beginning to come to view as home.

* * *

Carlisle reclined on the loveseat in his study with the latest copy of the New England Journal of Medicine completely engrossed in an article on post-hospital syndrome when a quiet knock drew his attention.

"Come in," he called softly as he shifted around to sit up.

Alice's head peeked in through the slightly ajar door, bringing a faint sad smile to the elder's face.

"Come in, Princess. How are you holding up? Is everything okay, within reason of course?"

The little pixie slowly edged her way into the room and closed the door behind her. "Daddy, I'm worried."

Carlisle patted the cushion next to him which had the effect of drawing his little girl the rest of the way across the room to sit next to him with her feet tucked under her. Wrapping an arm around her, the patriarch hugged his daughter closer as he laid his cheek against the top of her head.

"I'm sure that I really don't need to ask what you are worried about, baby doll, but why are you worried? Is it something that you've seen?"

She shook her head while she closed her eyes and sighed. "No, it's something that I feel. What if Jazzy doesn't want to come back home after everything is done or what if you won't let him return because he hasn't learned his lesson?"

Carlisle sighed as he clung to his little angel all the more. "Alice, I would always accept him back regardless. I want him home as much as you do. Jasper is as much a part of this family as anyone else and his absence has left a void that can't be filled."

Pulling free of Carlisle's hold, Alice leaned back and looked deeply into her father's pain filled eyes. "That still doesn't mean that he will come home, Daddy. You know how he is. If he feels that his pride has been compromised, he might just leave all together."

"He might leave the rest of us, sweetheart, but he would never leave you."

"That's not how he acted the day that…."

"He was hurt, baby. He was like an injured trapped wild animal. Jasper was just lashing out blindly and I am certain that he didn't mean anything that he said. Next week, when you're able to talk to him on the phone, you'll see that he is just as devoted to you as ever. Jazz is your mate, Alice. He lives for the single reason of sharing his existence with you. Don't ever doubt the sincerity of that love, Princess."

Tears of venom welled up in the pixie's eyes seconds before she threw herself into her father's arms while wrapping hers around his neck. Alice buried her face against Carlisle's shoulder as her tears broke free to swiftly soak his shirt.

"Sh. Alice baby, it's alright. You're fine and so is Jasper. Shhh." Carlisle found himself rocking Alice gently to help calm them both as he continued to whisper soothing words of encouragement while stinging tears clouded his own eyes.

He was being truthful when he told her that he missed the boy as much as she did or at least nearly so. A pair bond was strong, but the emotional ties that a parent holds for his child are just as unyielding. Four days. It had only been four days and he felt as if he was falling apart every bit as much as Alice. How would the two of them survive for two months if they couldn't withstand even a week of separation from his son? Carlisle didn't have an answer; just more questions.

How was Jasper doing? Was he becoming more introverted? Would he revert back to the reserved detached recluse who had shown up on Carlisle's porch in the middle of the night some fifty or so years ago? Had Carlisle undone all that they had accomplished over the decades of chipping away at the nearly impenetrable walls the solider had once hidden behind with a single instance of overly heavy handed correction?

After his return from Denali, he had begun to withdraw from his family. Carlisle had found it difficult to face his children and it seemed only worse with Esme, even though no one questioned him or challenged his decision. How they could even begin to trust him after something like this, he had no clue. The leader wasn't even sure if he could trust himself and he felt certain that Jasper would never trust him again.

Gradually, Alice brought herself back under control enough to release her death grip on Carlisle and pushed a bit back while wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.

Reaching in his pocket, Carlisle pulled out a white handkerchief and handed it to his petite princess.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Alice whispered as she sniffled and wiped at the tears that continued to roll down her cheeks.

"There is no reason to be sorry, princess."

"But, I was supposed to come and help you."

"Help me?"

Alice nodded then curled up against Carlisle as he held her once more while stroking her hair.

"We're all worried about you, Daddy."

"There's nothing to be worried about, sweetie. I don't want any of you troubling yourselves over me. I'm going to be absolutely fine." Carlisle gave his daughter a halfhearted smile before pulling her a little closer when another round of rapping came from the other side of the door.

"I'm in conference at the moment," Carlisle began softly before he was interrupted.

Alice's expression brightened and she sat up with a shake of her head as she patted her father's arm. "No, it's alright. Come in, Edward."

Carlisle sighed quietly as his first born stepped into the room and stood near the door with his head slightly bowed. "Edward."

"Carlisle. Dad. We really do need to talk."

"Edward, I'm not up for this right now."

"Yes, you are," Alice chirped as she popped up on her feet. She bounded over towards her brother and gave him a hug as she whispered "intervention" in his ear.

"I don't need any sort of intervention and I'm not in the mood for any such nonsense."

Alice crossed her arms as she gave her father a stern stare. "Daddy, you have experienced a traumatic event and you need to sort your feelings out. Whether or not you want to, you need to talk about what you're feeling. Edward is the perfect sounding board and you will listen to him and do as he says, Mister. I know that you are uncomfortable talking so at least with Edward you won't have to actually say anything. Now you behave yourself and I don't want to hear any arguments from you. I mean it."

Carlisle just stared up at his little pixie in absolute astonishment.

Alice traipsed over to her father and kissed him on the cheek before heading towards the door. Just before she opened it, Alice turned back around. "I really do mean it, Daddy. You don't want me to have to come back up here so you better behave yourself." With that she skipped out of the study and closed the door quietly behind her to give her father and brother their privacy.

Edward glanced over his shoulder at the closed door before turning his attention back to his father. "What in the hell was that?"

"Not a clue, but if I had to guess I would say that I was just reprimanded by my daughter and am now required to mind my son."

Edward ran his hand through his messy bronze locks. "Yeah, like that's going to happen."

Carlisle sank back into the couch as he crossed his legs at the ankles and his arms over his chest while he gazed calmly at his son. He noted how Edward fidgeted nervously under his steady gaze as his son was prone to do while composing himself for some unpleasant yet necessary discourse. "Edward, I don't care to have any sort of discussion right now. There is nothing that I feel the need to disclose. While your concern is appreciated, it's unwarranted. I am perfectly alright. I just feel the need to have some time to myself."

Edward took a breath as he looked down at his foot scuffing a pattern in the carpet before he rediscovered his voice and spoke quietly. "Alice does have a good point and I'm happy to lend an ear, but that wasn't exactly why I came up here."

His son's words brought a rush of concern to Carlisle. Sitting up, the patriarch's eyes darkened slightly with worry as he focused more acutely on his son. "Edward, what's wrong?" _Talk to me, Son. What can I do to help?_

Slowly raising his head to meet his father's eyes, Edward cleared his throat nervously. "I can't do it anymore," he stated simply with a brief shake of the head.

"What can't you do?" The elder cocked his head as he still found himself plagued by perplexity.

Edward closed his eyes and heaved a sigh while shoving his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans. "I can't wait like this anymore. All the anxiety…. It's just too much, Carlisle. I can't take it. I'm sure that you're trying to make a point, but between having to worry about how you're holding up along with… "

"Edward, what are you talking about? You have me at a complete loss, son."

Carlisle's pride and joy glanced back at his father with eyes as black as pitch. "I'm trying to ask…I'm begging you to be done with this. I know that I was wrong for telling Esme anything…."

"Oh." The doctor's lips curled with a light smile as he lowered his head while rubbing his eyes. When he looked back up at his boy, Carlisle held his fist to his lips to stifle a laugh.

"Carlisle, I don't find the humor…."

Forcibly clearing his throat, the elder regained his self-control and got to his feet. "No, of course not, Edward. Please accept my apology. I didn't mean to offend you. I was simply not prepared for this topic of discussion."

"It's been several days. I figured that you've had quite a while to prepare," Edward stated dryly.

"That's not what I meant, Edward."

Carlisle walked over to his son while replaying the incident in his mind. Edward's behavior had been abysmal and spawned the argument he had ended up having with Esme. At the time, Carlisle had been fed up with his boy's interference, but in light of the occurrences that followed the patriarch had allowed his son's transgression to slip his mind. Obviously, the same could not be said of Edward.

Placing his hand gently on the boy's shoulder Carlisle captured Edward's dark eyes in a stern gaze.

"Edward, you had no right to go to your mother with what amounted to as misinformation and you are never to do anything like that again. Your interference caused the situation to nearly spiral out of control needlessly. I won't have you repeating that mistake."

Edward lowered his eyes before nodding. "Yes, Sir."

"Look at me, Edward."

As the boy forced himself to meet his father's eyes he noticed that they had softened.

"You should not be roving though anyone's private thoughts uninvited; this you already know."

"Yes, Sir."

"That said, if you are concerned about something that you stumble upon, you need to confront that individual personally. There should never be a reason to go to a third party. Just as Alice's visions are susceptible to change, so are the minds of others. The only way that you can truly know what anyone is going to do is to ask them.

If you were worried about Jasper's future, you should have come to me directly."

Edward nodded as he glanced away with a whispered, "I know, Dad."

Carlisle dipped his head until he was once again looking into his son's coal black eyes. "Should there ever be an incident like Jasper's in the future, I will expect you to show me the respect of coming to me with your misgivings. I am not a tyrant, Edward. I will listen to your concerns and would appreciate the opportunity to at least attempt to alleviate them."

Edward sighed sadly as he gave his father a brief nod. "I'm sorry, Dad."

"I know, Son and I forgive you."

Cupping his hand behind his boy's neck, Carlisle pulled Edward into his arms and hugged him tightly. As tears came to the elder's eyes he whispered softly in his son's ear, "Thank you, Edward."

"For being a screw up?"

"For allowing me to still be your father."

* * *

**AN:** Every journey starts with a first small step. I was a little surprised that Jasper is doing well with Eleazar and Carmen. I do know that he is missing Alice and the more time passes the worse that longing is going to get. Carlisle, on the other hand... well he needs a really good shot of confidence. Right now he is not doing well at all. Thank goodness Edward offered a little boost there, even if he didn't realize that he was doing so. ...and yes, Eddie managed to slip by with nothing but a warning once again. The boy's talent is simply amazing.

Thank you all for being patient. Dark Justice takes a bit more effort than nearly anything else that I've done because I really have to keep a tight rein on the boys. Normally I let them just go and see where they end up, but at the moment they worry me a bit too much to be able to do that.

So, thanks for all of the comments and support. Y'all just continue to rock really hard. ;-) Thanks to Splinter, beta extraordinaire, without whom I would be a complete basket case by now. Now, let's see if I can dig my way out of this hole that Jasper and Carlisle have put me in.


	17. The Eyes Never Lie

The small band of Dall's sheep grazed peacefully along the mountainous alpine ridge as the weak sunlight struggled to bring life giving warmth to the frozen land. The previous day's snow had covered the meager vegetation, but the undaunted hardy little sheep busied themselves with pawing up the blanket of white to get at their mid-morning meal.

Ever vigilant, bright yellow eyes scanned the open landscape for the slightest sign of danger. Any strange scent or the slightest noise out of place would send the little herd of rams racing up the sheer mountain path towards the safety of the steep cliffs. Such was the life of a prey animal, which could also lead to a very predictable hunt for a savvy predator.

Slightly darker golden eyes scanned the herd from a lofty perch above the ridge. Jasper could easily jump down among the sheep and dispatch two or three before the rest had time to make their escape, but today he was feeling a bit lazy and decided to allow nature to take its course. He had a craving for delivery instead of take out and decided to allow his dinner to come to him for a change. The Dall's sheep were skittish and it wouldn't take much to send them streaming up the rocky cliff into his waiting arms. It could be as simple as an eagle's cry from overhead or the flash of light reflected off of some iced over rock; the apex predator didn't know what it would be that would set them off, but he was certain that it was all just a matter of time before it occurred.

Once he had verified that only one escape route was available to his prey, the youth slunk back from the precipice and laid down on a large flat rock to enjoy the feeling of the sun on his face. Closing his eyes, Jasper lost himself in the warmth of the sun and the light refreshing mountain breeze that whisked his scent along the updrafts and above the grazing animals. The configuration of the rocky face of the ridge had placed him upwind of the sheep, but by carefully choosing his perch, he had still managed to go undetected by the sensitive beasts leading to this rare and quite pleasurable hunt.

His mind drifted to thinking about his hosts and how he had been treated while in their care. Jasper had thought that Carlisle would have had Eleazar riding him hard like a rented mule to keep him miserable, but he was anything but. Both Eleazar and Carmen had been nothing but kind from the moment that he stepped through their door. The Spaniard's easy nature had kept things peaceful even in moments that Jasper felt out of control and Carmen was simply a delight. There was something about her playfulness that reminded Jasper of Alice and almost made him feel like a little bit of his mate was actually there with him.

Several nights ago, the night that he had embarrassed himself by putting his fist through the wall, Jasper had returned from his supply run with a little bit extra. Yes, Eleazar had seen the book of music that the boy had purchased, but he had failed to notice the genera of music CDs that also made the trip home with them.

Upon their arrival, Carmen rushed out to meet them, throwing herself in her mate's arms as if he had been gone for years instead of hours. The memory made Jasper sigh softly as a gentle smile brightened his face. He and Alice were like that and always would be. Several times the solider found himself feeling jealous that Eleazar had Carmen while his mate had been ripped from him, leaving him lonely and longing. He knew that he would see his beautiful Alice soon, but it was still very hard to endure their separation while living with a couple whose love mirrored the love that Jasper felt for his own distant mate.

Once she had welcomed her mate back home, Carmen surprised Jasper by pulling him into a bear hug that rivaled Emmett's and kissed him on the cheek. The boy had felt a phantom blush warm his cheeks as he ducked his head and smiled in embarrassment, but quickly regained his composure and presented Carmen with a token apology in the form of Spanish dance music discs. Eleazar's groan of despair was quickly drowned out by Carmen's squeals of delight as she dragged her mate into the house with the promise of a night of dancing and romance. Eleazar had cursed Jasper and swore revenge, but the solider knew that his cousin had enjoyed every second regardless of his vigorous protests.

The next morning, after the repairs to the wall had been completed, Carmen helped Jasper set up his orchid with the best care possible. He had read a little about its care in his book and did some research on the internet, but the sweet yet feisty Spanish rose proved to be a wealth of information. He found that her interest lay more in art work and crafting, with a leaning towards pottery, but she was fairly well versed in the care of tropical plants. He had tried to turn the care of the poor plant over to her for the duration of his stay, but quickly found that Carmen would have none of it. He brought the plant home and he would be its care giver.

She taught him to carefully mix the correct ratio of water to food and how to keep track of the humidity requirements so they could be adjusted as needed. Carmen taught him the various nuances of care for this particular variety of orchid and even made him sing to the plant every morning while he watered it; much to the delight of the poor suffering danced out Eleazar.

"Music makes every living thing thrive. Without it the world would be an unfriendly cold barren place. Music is the rhythm of life, the voice of the deity of creation, and dance is the method by which we worship."

"And mi cielo is an ardent member of that congregation." Eleazar had slipped in behind his mate and wrapped his arms around her waist while placing a kiss on her temple.

Jasper sighed at the sweet memory. He wondered if it was his cousins that made Denali seem peaceful or if Denali bought out the peace in the individual. For as wild and rugged as the land was, there was a tranquility that he had never experienced anywhere else. He could see himself and Alice settling here and making a life for themselves among the wildflowers, mountains and open sky.

The cacophonous cries of a flock of snow geese winging by caused Jasper to open his eyes as he quickly returned to the present. On the ledge below he could hear the stomping of hooves and nervous blowing of the sheep. The noisy winged menaces had disturbed them, but it hadn't been enough to send them into a blind panic.

Jasper was just settling down again when a loud report echoed off the surrounding stones. Several more deafening shots followed before they were replaced by snorting, bleating and the clicking of hooves as the band of sheep made their way up towards him.

There was blood in the air now and the vampire within the civilized solider came to life. His mouth flooded with venom and he sprang from his recumbent position to crouch on the stone platform. Rolling up on the balls of his feet while his hands curled into the shape of grasping claws, Jasper waited ready to pounce.

He caught their fear filled musky animal scent and felt their heat before he saw their bright white furred forms charging towards him. The sound of their thundering hearts drowned out almost every other noise as the blood coursed through their sweat soaked bodies.

With the precision of the well-seasoned hunter, Jasper leaped into the confused band of careening sheep. Grabbing the nearest ram by his full curled amber horn, the boy gave a mighty jerk and was rewarded with the quick satisfying snap of the animal's neck before it fell in a heap at his feet.

The scent of blood quite suddenly grew stronger and the predator noticed one of the younger rams stumble and slip down on his knees. The will to live forced the animal back to his feet, but the boy knew that its life was ebbing with each shaky step and every gasping breath it took.

In a blur of color, Jasper grabbed the animal by its short spiky horns and dragged it away from the edge of the cliff before locking his mouth over the ram's throat and tearing into the warm rapidly weakening flesh. The ram kicked out with his forefeet as his eyes rolled back in terror, but there was no escape from this foe.

With its life blood flowing freely from the gash in its neck, the sheep's body rapidly weakened while strength surged through Jasper. The hot iron rich blood rushed through the vampire quenching the fire in his throat as it fortified the power of his body. A low growl of pleasure rumbled in the soldier's chest and his senses sharpened with each draught of the sweet rich dark nourishing liquid that pulsed down his throat.

A few more feeble kicks and the animal lay still in Jasper's strong arms, its breath coming slower and more labored, keeping pace with its mighty heart. The youth concentrated on the thudding heart that continued to beat even after the breath of the ram's life had ceased. So lulled by the steady sound, the predator failed to notice the crunch of gravel behind him until the sour stale scent of human sweat permeated the air.

"What the fuck?"

Jasper spun around to come face to face with a gun totting human hunter who reeked of sweat, tobacco smoke and alcohol.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

The boy's civilized mind quickly filled in the gaps in the vampire's confusion. The shots that had sent the sheep charging must have come from the man before him. The distant scent of blood told him that the human had made a kill, but the number of shots that had followed the first and the wounded animal who now lay dead beneath his crouched form attested to the fact that the hunter had not been satisfied with just his one prize. Jasper's dark laughter filled the air as he glanced briefly towards his primary kill before dipping his fingers into the blood that still slowly seeped from the throat of his second unlucky victim. _You are just as much of a greedy fiend as I._

"What in the hell is wrong with you, boy and what in the fuck are you doing with my sheep?"

At the man's words the vampire curled his lips back to expose his blood tainted teeth as he snarled at the human. These kills were his and no one would take them from him.

"Are you some kind of wild child of the mountains? Wolves raised you or something like that?"

Jasper's snarl deepened into a threatening warning growl as he attempted to get the man to back away and leave.

"Look, you can have the meat or whatever it is that you want. Just let me have the head of that other one over there. Got nicer horns than the one I ended up with." At Jasper's growl the man became more defensive. "You don't look like you're going after a trophy anyway so it's no skin off your nose. What in the fuck is your problem, kid?"

"Mine," Jasper growled as he glared at the arrogant human before him.

"You don't need that head. It's not like I'm taking the rest of it. You still have plenty to eat and hell if you want it I'll throw in the rest of the one down in the gorge, but I'm taking those horns."

"MINE!"

The man leveled his rifle at Jasper as he slowly circled around the boy towards the fallen sheep. "Don't try me, kid. I doubt that anyone would be missing some wild boy so I got nothing to lose by offing you. Now you just stay right there and don't do anything stupid that you won't live to regret."

As the man crouched down next to the dead animal an unearthly roar shattered the wilderness solitude. Before he could squeeze off a shot, the vampire was on top of him clawing at his face and neck. The hunter landed a vicious punch to Jasper's face and immediately his hand exploded in pain as every tiny bone within it shattered.

The human howled as the pain intensified, but his annoying caterwauling quickly turned into gasping gurgling whines as teeth ripped into the soft flesh of his throat and crushed his windpipe. He tried to push the boy off, but the hunter was no match for the vampire's superior strength.

With the first drop of blood that hit his tongue, Jasper groaned in a mixture of dismay and ecstasy. The man's anger that had fueled the vampire's killing attack turned to fear that ran deep enough through the monster to touch the boy within. The solider wanted to stop; he knew that he should stop, but he simply couldn't. Where just minutes ago he had found the sheep's blood sweet, the taste of the human made him realize just how bitter the animal had truly been. His venom flowed freely into the wound to keep it open and remove even the most remote possibility of clotting as the priceless ruby droplets filled him with their honey sweetness.

The large wound gushed like a fountain, but Jasper was careful not to lose a single precious drop. The adrenaline that tended to give his normal animal diet an off taste worked to enhance the appeal and flavor in humans. The solider purred as he swallowed mouthful after mouthful of the vile thieving creature's decedent warmth. Once again, Jasper found himself lulled by the sound of a beating heart, but unlike the animal's, this heart missed a beat every few seconds as it struggled against the darkness that loomed at the peripheral just waiting to consume it. The breath ceased but the heart continued on as it valiantly fought a battle already lost.

At the sound of the heart's final pulse, Jasper released the man gently onto the cold stone ground. He inhaled deeply and smiled as he felt himself completely sated; a feeling that had eluded him for so many years now that he had nearly forgotten how tranquil the experience made him.

Sliding down to sit on the ground next to the body, Jasper closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the wilderness. Every sound was in sharper relief and every scent richer making the moment feel perfect.

After some time had passed, the boy opened his eyes and looked at the death that surrounded him. The vampire began to slowly lose its strangle hold on Jasper. His conscience once more slowly stirred, coming to the forefront of his thoughts and with its resurgence, he felt the acute pangs of regret.

Fishing in the pocket of the corpse, he withdrew the man's wallet. Phillip Grant was the name on his driver's license and from the pictures that he carried it appeared that he had a wife and three children. The pretty blonde woman, their two sons and little girl would never know what had happened to their father. The chances of his body being recovered from the sprawling wilderness was highly unlikely so there would be no closure for this family. They would wait, hope and pray for his safe return as days turned into weeks and months until finally hope was lost to the years.

"What have I done?" The boy bowed his head and cradled it in his hands as he mourned for the life he had taken as well as his own that he had so carelessly destroyed.

Here he was fifteen hundred miles away from home, sent under the pretense of learning better self-control and instead he had managed to go in the completely opposite direction. Jasper had completely given into his monstrous nature and murdered a human being. He hadn't killed to satisfy his blood lust, but instead the protectiveness that he had struggled so hard with had finally taken over and became his undoing. He had been just as protective of his prey as he was of Alice or even little Amanda and this time the results had been disastrous.

Jasper ran his hand through his blonde hair before it occurred to him that his fingers were still coated in blood.

"You must be a sight right about now, Whitlock." He rubbed his face and groaned. "Now how are you going to manage to get yourself out of this mess?"

Rising to his feet, Jasper set to work cleaning up his folly. His guilt seemed to grow as he looked at the body of the older ram. He no longer had a need for its blood so now its death had been for nothing. The boy hated to waste a life, any life, just as much as Carlisle did and he hung his head in shame over all that he had done. Gathering the animal in his arms, he carried it out where he knew it would easily be found by predators so at least its loss was not a complete waste.

Returning to the scene of his crime, Jasper moved the body a little further down the mountain where it stood a better chance of eventually being found. Bowing his head, he offered a prayer to whatever God watched over the poor soul and asked for the fallen man's forgiveness for having wronged him and taken him from his family far too soon. Placing the rifle at the corpse's side, the solider turned away and slowly headed back home with a heavy heart and guilt ladened conscience.

Coming to a stream, Jasper crouched down to wash the blood from his face and hands. It was then that he caught a glimpse of his reflection and the full weight of the reality of what he had done came crushing down upon him. There staring back at him from the crystal clear stream was his lingering badge of disgrace; one that he would never be able to hide. The accusatory murderous crimson eyes of the vampire stared back at him from the rippled shimmering surface.

The boy shut his eyes tightly and turned his face away from the mirror like surface, but that didn't prevent the horrible image from replaying in his mind.

How would he ever be able to face his family again as long as his scarlet eyes bore witness to his weakness by giving clear testimony of his sin?

A harsh laugh suddenly tore from the soldier's throat. Family. Funny how once he proved to himself how weak he really was he ceased to think in terms of coven and instead gladly embraced the idea of family. He supposed that his mind held onto the hope that there was some truth behind the idea that a family would always accept you for who you were, where he already knew that in a coven everyone was expendable. The weakest link was quickly cut out and replaced. There was no real love or loyalty within a true coven.

With that idea in mind, what would his extended family say once they learned of his failing? Would they condemn him and see him as the mindless beast that he was? Here he was striving to be as decent as any damned creature was capable of being without ever giving thought to how pointless it all actually was. He wanted to make those he loved proud of him, but instead he faulted at every turn and proved just how reprehensible he truly was. _What is the point in continuing to try? Why make myself suffer when I already know that I can never been anything like my family?_ Jasper laid down on the damp ground and finally opened his eyes again to stare up at the cloudless clear blue sky._ Alice. She is the reason that I can't give in. I need to be a better man for Alice, but I'll be lucky if she ever wants to set eyes on me again. Why would she want a weakling for a mate? It's all so utterly useless to try to better myself, but I will not add quitter to my long list of faults__._

Jasper sighed heavily as he watched a raptor gliding so effortlessly overhead and realized how in one act he had managed to destroy not only a human life and the lives of the family he left behind, but also his own existence, his place in his family, the love of his mate, and even the peace of this pristine wilderness. Unbidden tears sprang to his eyes as he reflected on all that had been lost due to his deficiency.

Jasper closed his eyes and longed for that elusive gift that so many humans took for granted; sleep. If he was capable of sleep then maybe he could convince himself that none of this had happened, that it had all been a dream. Alas, he knew that was impossible and for many months he would carry the proof of his sin, those damnable inescapable crimson eyes.

* * *

Carmen was busy in the kitchen when she heard the front door open signaling that Jasper had finally returned from his hunt. He had been gone for nearly the entire day and she had to admit that she had begun to worry about the youth. In her head, she knew that he would always be just fine, but in her heart she couldn't help but worry.

"Jasper, I'm so glad that you're home. Did you have a good hunt?"

"Yes. I went out along the ridge that Eleazar suggested and the sheep were there. Made for a very easy hunt."

"Next time you should go after caribou. They tend to be out a little further, but I think you would enjoy the taste a bit more and the sheer numbers can be simply breathtaking."

"I'll keep that in mind," he called out as he headed toward his room feeling extraordinarily lucky that his cousin was involved with something in the other room. Avoiding his hosts was going to be tricky, but he couldn't let them know what he had done; he couldn't allow them to see his eyes.

"Honey, come in here and see what Eleazar collected for you this afternoon."

Jasper closed his eyes and groaned to himself. "I really need to take a shower, Carmen. Those stocky little sheep can put up a fight and right now I'm just a sight. I need to get cleaned up. The last thing you need is dried blood all over the place."

"It's not like I haven't cleaned up blood before."

The boy bit the inside of his cheek and grimaced. "I'm sure that you have, but I refuse to give you more work. What sort of a house guest would I be if I didn't at least try to take precautions?"

He heard the clank of metal as she put some sort of utensil down and panic began to well in his chest. If she came to him, she couldn't fail to see his badge of disgrace. Keeping his eyes downcast would only get him by so long and not very long at that.

When Carmen continued to call out to him across the house, Jasper gave a sigh of relief.

"I sent Eleazar out to the lake and he came back with a couple of really beautiful pieces of driftwood. They will be perfect subjects to mount your orchid on. Right now I'm boiling them to clean them up, but maybe after your shower they will be cool enough to work with. You can pick which one you like best. This will make for a very pretty display for Esme."

"Where is Eleazar now?"

"He went over to Healy to pick up a couple of things that we need to make this project work right. He waited a while hoping that you would be back to take the ride with him, but I wouldn't let him wait any longer. This is just too exciting and I want to work on it as soon as possible."

Jasper bowed his head a bit lower as his shame became nearly unbearable. He felt shame for the murder, but now the youth was rocked by a new wave of the debilitating emotion. Here his cousins were going out of their way to do something nice for him while he was doing his best to deceive them. It was wrong. It felt completely wrong, but what choice did he have? He couldn't risk their rejection once they knew what he had done and he simply couldn't bear the humiliation that would follow after they reported his crime to Carlisle. It wouldn't be long after that when the others would know as well.

They wouldn't want him back in Forks and there was no way that Carmen and Eleazar would allow him to stay with them once it was revealed what sort of man he really was. This atrocity had truly sealed his fate. He would be dead to his coven; to this strange bonded group who really were like a family.

Jasper gave a snort of disgust. In truth was he not already dead to them? When Carlisle felt the need to send him away was that not the final nail in his coffin? All Jasper's criminal act did was solidify that deal, but where he was able to blame Carlisle before, now the responsibility for losing his coven and his mate rested squarely on his own shoulders.

Shaking his head to drive his mounting depression temporarily away, Jasper tried to focus on the here and now. He wasn't ready to completely admit defeat. He knew that he was defeated, but his pride forced him to try to hide his shame and postpone the inevitable expulsion that would come with exposure.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Carmen. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. You and Eleazar have been just wonderful putting up with me and all."

"Jasper, there is nothing of putting up with you. We enjoy your company and hope to make your stay as pleasant as possible. We are all family and that comes with an everlasting love." Carmen suddenly giggled before adding, "And with our kind everlasting most certainly does last forever."

Jasper tucked his chin against his chest as the words that were meant to fill him with hope instead caused a pain in his chest that he never dreamed possible.

"Now go take your shower so you can help once Eleazar returns."

"I'm feeling a little… well I don't really know, but I think I might need to relax a bit after my shower. Is it alright with you if I go to my room for a while and do a bit of reading? Maybe I can find out more about this mounting orchids on driftwood thing. At least then I wouldn't be so much like a fish out of water when we get to workin' on it."

"Of course, baby. Take your time. Neither the wood nor the plant is going anywhere. There are some wonderful sites that I pulled up on the computer. Go relax and have some fun looking at what we can do. I'll be only too happy to wait on you. It is your project after all."

"Thank you, Carmen. Again, you really are too kind."

Jasper quickly disappeared down the hall and into the bathroom to wash away any traces of human scent that still might linger. He would need to find a way to sneak past Carmen and get his clothes in the washing machine or maybe the better solution would be to just throw them out. His mind raced as he tried to plan his next moves, but at least he had managed to buy himself an evening to work on it.

Huffing out a breath, he glanced up at the bathroom mirror and shuddered at the glowing bright red eyes that stared back. They almost seemed like the eyes of another person entirely. They were the eyes of who he had been, but not who he was any longer.

"Contacts."

He began to strip off the reeking offending clothing as he made up his mind. As soon as he was showered he would get on the internet and find one of those sites that supplied theatrical contacts. With any luck he would be able to get them delivered the next day and then he would be home free. Yes, that would work. It had to work. He would hide these damnable eyes and then he would go back to business as usual with no one the wiser.

The heavy guilt settled in his chest over his cold dead heart making its presence known.

_No one the wiser with the exception of you, but you can handle it. What's a little guilt to a vampire who has seen and done the things that I have? This will be a piece of cake. Just you wait and see, Jasper Whitlock. Just you wait and see._

* * *

**AN:** You guys believe it? A completely Carlisle free chapter! I didn't see that coming, but since Mr. Whitlock was just dead set on reaching China, I figured I would go ahead and let him dig that hole a little bit deeper. _  
_

Thank y'all for just being the awesome readers that you guys are. The comments are loved and really do make my day. Thanks to edwardian1901 and Cullen1007 for listening to me whine about wanted to run in this direction when I didn't think that I had the courage to do it. Of course, bless Splinter's huge heart for being willing to beta for me. Now she is a really brave soul.

So, let's see how long Jasper can avoid Eleazar and Carmen. Something tells me that the contacts aren't going to work well and his helpful caring cousins are not going to make hiding very easy.


	18. Secret Visit

"Alice, I just don't know. I'm not sure that it's going to make anything better." Edward leaned against the hood of the Volvo with his head down and his hands sunk deep in his pants pockets. "In fact it really does stand to make things much worse, at least for you, and you know it. It's not like you haven't seen where this ends up and it's not pretty."

"The future can change Edward, but I'm willing to accept the risk. I have to see him. He needs to know that I'm there for him, especially now." The pixie whined as she attempted to plead her case to her brother as other students milled around the parking lot.

The bronze haired boy sighed softly as he continued to keep his eyes downcast while he rolled his sister's harebrained scheme over in his mind. He knew that she had her mind set, but he couldn't discount the need within him to make her reconsider. What he needed was a different approach.

"Think about how he will feel in knowing that you ended up in trouble because of him. He takes those things to heart in a really big way. You wouldn't want to subject him to that, would you?"

Her frustrated huff caused Edward to roll his eyes.

"Alice, all I'm saying is make sure that you have really thought everything through. Besides, you know it really isn't like you need my approval or anything of that nature."

"No, but I do need you to cover for me and we both know that puts you at just as much risk as me."

Alice's pleading eyes were sad but hopeful. She hated involving Edward in her plan knowing that Carlisle would be anything but pleased with them, however he was the only one that she felt she could fully trust in this. The fact that he already knew what had happened based on picking up on her vision last night had him at least somewhat involved, so what was a little more involvement?

Edward ran his hand along the back of his neck as he watched the replay of Alice's vision and already knew that she had won this ... well could it really even be considered an argument?

"I mainly just need you to keep Emmett in the dark. You know how he can get once he realizes that something is up and he has been left out of the loop. Don't let him start asking questions."

"How am I going to explain where you are?"

"Oh just tell him that I decided to walk home because I was missing Jazz and wanted to go on a little hunt. It technically is the truth, after all. No one needs to know what I'm hunting and I am missing Jazzy."

Her brother nodded as he exhaled softly. "Just convince him that he needs to come clean and you've got yourself a deal. It's not something that he can hide, nor should he feel that he needs to." Edward finally raised his head and looked at his manic worried little sister. "It's not a big deal. It happens and no one would ever blame him. He knows that, doesn't he?"

Alice put her school books in the truck of Edward's car as she shook her head. "He should and I think deep down he does, but the problem is that he doesn't want to believe it. It's easier for him to pull away if he thinks that we will be angry with him. It allows him to feel justified in hiding his little slip up instead of just accepting that he made a mistake." She walked back over to her brother and stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Jazz can be..."

"A real pain in the ass sometimes."

"I was going to say complicated, but you have a point. Should you ever tell him that I said that though, I'll completely deny it. You know that he'll believe me over you any day."

Edward gave Alice a weak smile as the morning bell rang. "Just make sure that you get back as soon as possible. I can keep Emmett in the dark, but Carlisle is a different matter entirely."

"I just need to see him, Edward. I promise that I'll be back before anyone even begins to think that something is wrong." She turned and began to walk away from the school when she suddenly froze. Looking back over her shoulder Alice called out a quick, "Edward?"

Her brother glanced back towards her.

"Don't tell anyone what happened in Denali."

"You already know that I won't. That needs to come from Jasper alone. As far as anyone knows, I am completely clueless about what he is doing and going through. No need to worry about that at all." He gave her a little nod before breaking into a slow jog as he headed towards his first class of the day.

With a sigh, Alice watched her brother disappear into the building before turning back around and hastily heading towards the forest.

* * *

"Jasper, where are you off to? Carmen has been anxiously waiting so the both of you can get to work on making a new home for your little plant. She showed me some of her ideas and they look very nice. I believe you'll be pleased. I know Esme will be thrilled; more so that you took the time to do this for her."

Eleazar had been relaxing in front of the television when Jasper finally left his room, heading towards the front door.

"I have something that I need to do in Healy. Shouldn't take me long and then I'll be happy to do whatever Carmen wants to do with me." Jasper stated quietly as he bent down to tie his shoe.

"Ah, I would be careful of making a statement like that, cousin. There is no doubt in my mind that it will come back to haunt you." Eleazar laughed, but became a bit more serious when he noticed how uncomfortable the boy seemed to become. "I'm sorry, Jasper. You know that Carmen would never force you into doing anything. If you have a preference for something else just let her know. We never want to cause you distress. I can understand that a young man might find these little crafts a bit emasculating, but I assure you…."

"It's not that, Eleazar. I don't mind working with Carmen at all. It's just that… well I have something going on that I'm not comfortable explaining at the moment. I apologize if that sounds rude, but there some things I really do need to work out on my own."

The Spaniard nodded. "Of course and no apology needed." Eleazar thought for a second before offering, "Would you like a ride to Healy? I'm not doing anything important at the moment. I'll be happy to drive. I shouldn't be surprised if mi amour doesn't have a new list of things that she needs to create this plant paradise."

Jasper stood but kept his head low. "No, but thank you. I think the walk will do me some good. I am accustomed to being outdoors a little more than what I have been. Just need a bit of fresh air sometimes."

"Then be sure to grab your coat or the locals will think that you're loco."

"Just doing that now." Jasper grabbed a heavy black woolen coat from the coat rack near the door and shrugged it on. As he opened the door, the youth said softly, "Thank you, Eleazar, for everything that you're doing for me."

"It is my pleasure, Jasper. All I want to do is to be of help."

Closing the door firmly behind him, Jasper groaned as his conscience flared again. _Yes, Eleazar, I know all you and Carmen want to do is be helpful, but sometimes there is just no way to do that. _Leaning his head back with eyes closed the boy sighed before settling down to start off on his hike. _God helps those who help themselves, cousin. This is me doing my damnedest to help myself. _

Healy was not far, about a dozen miles away, so Jasper reached his destination in record time. He was grateful that the day was overcast so at least that was one thing that had gone in his favor. Maybe his luck was starting to shift and things were beginning to get better.

Walking down the street towards the post office a sobering thought occurred to the solider. _Oh fuck. You can't go in there looking like some traveling circus sideshow freak. You can't explain away red eyes to those who understand, you sure as hell aren't going to be able to explain them to a human and how could they not be curious about something like that? _

Groaning, he ran both hands through his wheaten hair as he searched for a solution. As luck would have it, a chance glance down through the window of a parked car answered his prayer. There on the dash laid a pair of sunglasses free for the taking. A quick look around, a hard jerk to the door that broke the lock and Jasper's problem was temporarily solved.

With sunglasses on and the collar of his jacket turned up, Jasper hummed happily to himself as a surge of confidence rushed through him. This would work. It had to. Once he picked up the rush ordered contacts his plan would be perfect. He would still need to limit his time with his cousins since he doubted that the lenses would offer the precise color needed, but at least he would be able to be around them without worrying that the briefest of glances would give him away.

A little brass bell on the door announced his arrival to the post master. With his fingers crossed that nothing had gone wrong with the shipping, Jasper explained to the man that he was expecting a parcel. Much to his delight, a little brown box appeared on the counter in a matter of minutes making the outrageous shipping cost suddenly seem quite reasonable. Grinning happily, Jasper signed for the package and trotted out of the post office with his prize clutched tightly in his hand.

At the end of the street was a little gas station where Jasper was able to swiftly duck into the men's room for some privacy. Immediately his eyes began to water and on instinct he held his breath while silently cursing about the conditions of the little room. Looking to expedite his stay, the youth ripped open the box and shuffled through packing slips to withdraw his tiny bits of golden salvation.

Focusing on the lenses, the smile slipped from his face as his eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, what the fuck?"

His first reaction was that they were too yellow. The photo on the internet had shown them to be a yellowish brown. Funny enough they had been labeled as "wolf eyes", but that had been the closest color match the solider had been able to find; the closest color match with round pupils. Snake or cat pupils were most certainly out of the question. Jasper groaned at that memory. At least the pupils were correct, but these contacts were more of a bright banana yellow.

"Chiquita fucking banana." Jasper sighed as he retrieved the soft lenses from their watery environment. "Maybe they won't look as bad once they're in."

There was a moment of hesitation as Jasper recalled that the lenses were listed as being opaque to completely cover the existing eye color, but he hoped that just a touch of his own red might show through them to dull the hideous brightness.

Putting them in, he closed his eyes to let the lenses settle in place and give himself a few seconds to mentally prepare for the transformation. Opening his eyes and checking his reflection in the mirror proved that apparently he had not given himself enough time.

The sight that met him in that dirty polished chrome mirror caused Jasper to jump back with a slight hiss. "Opaque my ass." The shocking yellow had turned to a brilliant shade of orange as his own crimson shown bravely though. "This could not suck more," he snarled through gritted teeth as he leaned in toward the mirror to take a better look.

Abruptly, Jasper froze as he stared in wide eyed terror and disgust. "I was way wrong about that. THAT sucks more." He blinked as he cocked his head while glaring at his reflection. Not only were his eyes now flaming orange but when he looked at them a bit more closely it became painfully apparently that they were smiling back at him.

"Fucking smiley face contact lenses? What in the name of hell is wrong with this picture?" Pulling down his lower lid he gave a visible shudder. "That is truly hideous."

The bright yellow irises sported two little black dots for eyes above the pupil which stood as a nose and under that was a mocking happy curving grin.

_This can't be right. Is this some sort of joke? Who in their right mind…. _

With a gruff grumble the solider yanked the packing slip out of the box. _Six pairs of amber wolf –backordered. Please accept the enclosed product free of charge with our apologies. Your order will be processed and shipped as soon as possible. Please allow two to six weeks. Thank you for choosing The Eyes Have It for your cosmetic and theatrical contact lenses needs. _

Jasper rubbed his forehead in severe frustration before hazarding a glance back at his reflection. Well they did tame the scarlet coloring and just maybe in subdued lighting they would look amber. If he could keep his eyes partly closed the horrifying smiley face could possibly go unnoticed. Jasper sighed heavily. _What choice do you have? Ya gotta make this work. These blasted things are supposed to last for sixty days. I'll probably have to deal with this retarded look until my sentence is served, but I'll still hope to get the right ones in a couple of weeks. _

Checking the box he found four more vials which he held up to the light hoping that they had sent him something a bit more useful. Shaking the clear liquid, Jasper sighed in dismay as the soft smiling lenses in each bottle drifted to the bottom. _Well I have a new toy for Emmett when I finally do get back home. I'm sure he will love 'em._

Closing up the little box, Jasper slipped it into the pocket of his jacket before taking one last look at his reflection. Shaking his head sadly, he turned away and left the dirty dank little washroom and at a much slower pace than he arrived, Jasper headed towards home.

_Best laid plans of mice and men. _He sighed as he slipped the sunglasses back on. _How long do you really think you're going to be able to keep this up? You know if you hadn't been so damn careless none of this would have happened. Shit, if you had an ounce of self-control you wouldn't even be here. Your dumbass would be sitting in chemistry right now screwing with that Niven kid's emotions. _A slightly wicked grin graced the boy's face as he allowed himself to dwell a bit on the memory of a few of his guilty pleasures.

"See what happens when you try to make a move on my Alice. That little prick thinks it's just his teenage hormones running rampant. I do have to admit; giving him a boner at the swim meet was just too damn much fun. Poor bastard was too embarrassed to come out of the locker room the rest of evening."

"That was pretty funny."

Jasper froze at the sound of the light musical voice that tickled his ear. _It can't be._ Her sweet scent drifted over him to feed his senses and wash his worries away; replacing them with happiness. Turning slowly so as not to frighten away this phantom trick of his mind, the soldier felt as if his still heart suddenly swelled in his chest as he came face to face with his beloved Alice. Afraid that any movement would cause the vision to dissipate, Jasper stood stock still as he gazed in wonder.

"Alice?"

Her lyrical giggling brought a smile to his face before she flung herself into his arms.

"Oh my God, Alice. It really is you." Jasper hugged her tightly as he laid his head on top of hers and inhaled deeply to prove to himself that she was real and not a delusion brought on by his loneliness. "Oh my God, I have missed you so much."

"Not any more than I've missed you, Jazzy."

Finally certain that she was no illusion, Jasper gently released his love to allow him to run his hands through her short dark hair as he pulled her into a deep passionate kiss. As their lips parted he whispered, "You are truly a sight for sore eyes, sweetness." He kissed her again before reluctantly parting.

Leading her off the side of the road, Jasper sat down on a fallen log and pulled his mate into his lap; cuddling her close.

"What are you doing here, little dove?"

"I had to see you, Jazz. I just couldn't make it through another day without knowing that you were alright." She brushed his messy locks out of his face before scrunching her nose up at his unfashionable attire. "These run of the mill things have got to go. Where on earth did you get them?" She reached up to remove his sunglasses only to have him shrink back and turn his head away.

"Alice, no."

"Sh. It's alright, Jazzy," she whispered soothingly. "I already know. Everything is going to be okay."

She already knew? He huffed softly as he hung his head. Well of course she would know; the visions. With a quiet moan he allowed her to remove the sunglasses, but kept his eyes tightly closed and his head bowed.

"Jazzy, look at me. I don't care what color they are. I know that this seems like the end of the world, but believe me, it isn't. I just want to help you get through this, but you have to trust me."

"I do trust you, Alice. I trust you with my life."

She laid a small pale hand against his cheek. "Then look at me, baby. No one is going to judge you, least of all me."

Leaning against her hand, he gave a soft sigh then slowly opened his eyes but kept them downcast. Blinking several times and swallowing hard to help steel his nerve, Jasper glanced up at his wife.

A gasp slipped out before Alice could stop it which caused Jasper to turn away.

"What happened, baby?"

"You said that you already knew." His hoarse quiet tone carried a slightly bitter edge.

Alice made a grab for his chin to turn him back to face her, but she was met with resistance. "I saw your accident, Jazz, but it doesn't explain that color. I've never seen anything like it before."

"I should have ordered black. Carmen would have been worried about me, but that would have been easier to deal with than this."

"Ordered black what?"

"It's contact lenses, Alice. I thought that if I got some contacts and covered up the red, no one would find out, but now what am I going to do?"

This time Alice's gentle pressure brought his head up allowing her to meet his eyes. "They aren't so bad." Swiftly her own eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. Is that a…."

Exhaling in frustration the boy nodded his head. "It was a mistake. Well not a mistake, but a replacement until what I ordered became available."

Alice covered her mouth with her hand as she suppressed a giggle, but she couldn't prevent the twinkle that lit up her eyes.

"Alice, this is not a laughing matter. What in God's name am I going to do about this?"

With a great deal of effort, Alice regained control of herself and clearing her throat, she gave her husband a gentle smile.

"Don't try to hide it, Jazz. It will be okay and it's really much better to just admit the mistake instead of trying to cover it up. No one is going to be angry with you. There's no need to hide."

Turning his face away, the solider shook his head. "You don't understand because you haven't been in this position, Alice. It's no way as easy as you make it sound."

"Of course it is. Tell Eleazar that there was an accident and have him call Daddy. They'll help make things right so you can put it behind you and stop all this worrying."

Her words made Jasper realize that he had not tempered his emotions. Back at the house he had been on his guard so as not to alert Eleazar and Carmen to anything being wrong, but here with his mate he had been able to let his guard down and took full advantage of that ability. Slowly he reeled the damning feelings back in to save Alice from their crushing weight, but found himself quickly soothed and hushed by his adoring mate.

"It's not good to keep that all bottled up, sweetheart. It's alright to just let it go. Don't you fret about me." She hugged him as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. Sitting back up with an arm around his neck, the pixie cocked her head as her brow furrowed.

At her pensive look Jasper felt his anxiety spike. "What is it?"

"If you keep on worrying like this, you're going to get old before your time."

Jasper raised a brow as he studied his mate for a few seconds. "Honey, I'm nearly a hundred and forty years old. Actually a spell older than that when you figure in the human years I spent on this planet. You really think that there is any possibility for me to be old before my time? I know that others might disagree, but I think I look pretty damn good for my age."

Alice broke down into a fit of giggles and this time Jasper responded with a cocky grin. Poking at her ribs, he caused her to laugh harder until she slipped from his lap and bounced lightly on her toes. Extending her hand to her husband, Alice pulled him up and slipped her arms around his waist. "Why don't you show me around, cowboy? I wouldn't mind taking in the sights with you."

Jasper kissed her forehead then suddenly jerked his head back to look at his little ball of sunshine. "How did you ever convince Carlisle to let you come see me? I still have another day or two before I can have my cell phone back. I'm surprised that he let you come up when he won't even let me call home, yet. You didn't tell him about my screw up, did you?"

"As if, Jazzy." Alice rolled her eyes before a chagrin expression formed across her pretty face.

"Alice?" Jasper's cocked his head as he looked her in the eyes which she quickly averted. "You didn't."

"Well what was I supposed to do?" Alice placed her hands on her hips as she gave him a little huff of annoyance.

"You were supposed to stay home and out of trouble. It's bad enough that I'm in the doghouse with Carlisle. I don't want to see you getting in trouble also. There is simply no need for that, Alice."

"I needed to see you." She stated with some force. "I needed to know that you were alright and I wasn't going to be able to do that back in Forks."

"Alice, you're grounded, remember? That little fact alone….ugh." He turned around and rubbed at his temples as his emotions switched between worry and frustration.

He felt her hand alight on his shoulder.

"I needed to know. I thought that you would just be happy to see me."

"I am happy, darlin', but I don't want you getting deeper into it because of me. You should have just called Carmen to check on me."

"And that would have given me an honest answer when you're hiding the truth from her?"

He knew that Alice's words weren't meant as a rebuke, but he felt a wave of shame at his deception and bowed his head.

"It's done and there is no reason to go worrying about it now. Edward is covering for me so with a little luck…."

"A lot of luck."

"With a little luck, no one ever needs to know that I was even here. When they get back from school Edward is going to tell everyone that I went home ahead of them to do a little hunting because I needed some alone time. You know that when I get upset I go shopping for the entire day. Well, I'm not allowed to go shopping so I will have funneled that energy into hunting and then just decided to hang out in our spot in the woods because I'm lonely without you."

Jasper did not look convinced.

"Daddy will accept that explanation. He told me just yesterday that he felt that I needed to hunt and get away from things for a while so it isn't coming right out of the blue."

"Alice…."

"Jazz, just stop worrying. I can't stay long so I would rather we not spend our time arguing over something that can't be changed. I know the risks and I accept them because you're worth it." She kissed him before he could protest any further. Taking his hand in hers Alice pulled her mate along as she tripped down the little nature trail. "So are you going to show me around, or not?"

Trying to push back his trepidation, Jasper shook his head and gave his wife a smile. "Nothing would give me more pleasure than to give you the grand tour, sugar."

A coquettish light danced in Alice's eyes. "Are you sure about that, solider? There isn't anything that could give you more pleasure."

The boy's bright orange eyes flashed as he allowed himself to succumb to his mate's playful suggestiveness. "Well now that you brought it up, ma'am." Jasper purred softly as he leaned down to kiss Alice only to have her spin out of the way with a bright laugh.

"If you want me, you're going to have to catch me."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm." The pixie danced and cavorted just out of his reach before dashing off into the thick prairie brush leaving Jasper to chase after her teasing laughter.

The solider hesitated for just a moment before granting himself a reprieve to forget his worries for the few precious hours that he could spend reconnecting and relaxing with his mate.

* * *

Edward paced on the front porch as he continually stole glances out across the yard towards the thick surrounding forest. _Come on, Alice. It's getting late. Where are you?_ He shook his head as he shifted his focus down at his feet. _Why aren't you back yet? If Carlisle finds out we are both really dead and I don't know how much longer I can keep him in the dark._

The boy pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. Everything had gone as planned up until now. He had met with Emmett and Rosalie in the school parking lot and informed them of Alice's plan to go on a hunt instead of riding home with them. No big surprise to anyone, Emmett put up a fuss claiming hurt feelings since he would have liked to go with his baby sister, but eventually Edward's reassurance that Alice needed this time alone had calmed the bulky bruin down.

At the house, Esme had easily accepted the same story and even seemed relieved that Alice was finally out of the house instead of keeping herself locked away in her room or sitting on the couch with the others appearing terribly dejected. Her daughter was depressed and there was apparently nothing Esme could do, which broke her heart a little more each day. Because of that fact, Edward decided to forgo the reminder that they were all grounded and therefore couldn't really go anywhere anyway. As long as Esme was content and Alice's secret remained safe he saw no need to rock the boat as he slipped away from his mother and stowed away in his room under the pretense of doing homework. He had stayed happily away from the rest of his family until the sound of Carlisle's car pulling into the garage brought him to full alert.

The sound and scent of his father entering the house caused a moment of exquisite panic in Edward, but his luck held and the evening progressed into the pattern that had become normal over the last week.

While Carlisle had finally started to interact a bit more with his family, he was still prone to closing himself off in his study when he returned home from work. It hurt Edward to see his father in such pain, but nothing had been able to alleviate the patriarch's troubled mind. Carlisle's firstborn knew that there was only one person who could help the doctor get over what the boy knew was more self-hatred than simple doubt over his questionable choice of punishment. That person was many miles away in Alaska and there was never any guarantee that he would forgive Carlisle for his unconventional act, but Edward couldn't help but remain hopeful that time really did heal all wounds.

At Carlisle's arrival, Edward had left the safety of his room to venture downstairs. He was quickly roped into a game with Emmett which he only paid half attention to. Instead his focus remained on his father as he greeted Esme in the kitchen. Not one to miss much, Carlisle noticed that Alice was missing from the little grouping of his children in the den, but it was Esme who past along Edward's falsehood.

Carlisle accepted the simple explanation without a second thought and, as much as he hated to admit it, the boy was relieved when the patriarch stayed true to his habit and disappeared into his study. It spared Edward from having to answer any more uncomfortable questions or need to repeat his lie to the one person he was convinced would see straight through it. It wasn't long after that he had been able to talk Rose into taking over the controls of the game to keep her mate entertained so he could go get some fresh air to help clear his head and look for Alice.

With the breeze tugging at his unruly hair, Edward shivered at the thought of how Carlisle would react to having been lied to so brazenly. Somehow he didn't think that the fact that he had lied to protect his sister would be winning him any brownie points as far as his father was concerned. The youth rubbed the back of his neck before shoving his hand in his pants pocket as a soft sigh escaped his lips to be lost on the evening breeze.

_Get it in gear, Ali. _

Suddenly a boisterous voiced boomed from within the house. "Hey, Eddie, shouldn't Alice have been home like hours ago? Think we ought to go look for her? Damn, I hope that baby sis is alright."

Edward groaned as he closed his eyes for a moment before heading back into the house.

"It really is unusual for her to be gone this long, Edward. Emmett has a point." Rosalie watched her brother with concern furrowing her brows. "It's not typical for Alice to stay out by herself unless shopping is involved."

Edward cleared his throat then shook his head slightly. "She's fine, Rose."

"You don't know that."

"I do. She came home a while ago."

"No she didn't." It was Emmett who responded with confusion tinting his tone.

"Of course she did, Emmett. Alice slipped in when you two were otherwise engaged. You just didn't notice her. She's up in her room right now." Edward fidgeted and knew that had he been human he would be drenched in sweat right now.

"Then let's go get her and bring her down." Emmett jumped to his feet and clapped his hands before rubbing them together in excitement as his signature grin plastered itself across his face. "Maybe Ali can give me a little more competition than the two of you losers." Rosalie kicked at her mate as she laughed at his exuberance. "Hey, Ali girl, get your little buns down here and show these two how this game is played."

As he started towards the stairs, Edward moved to block his brother's way. "No, Em. Leave her be. She said that she didn't want to be bothered right now."

"Like I could ever be a bother."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Oh no, Emmy. You could never be a bother to anyone."

While his mate's words dripped with sarcasm, Emmett chose to ignore that fact as he grinned broadly at Edward. "See."

Bowing his head, Edward pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his eyes. "Em, just leave it alone. Alice doesn't want any company. What she wants is Jasper and since she can't have him right now she just wants to spend time by herself. Surely that isn't so difficult to understand. Haven't you ever wanted to be left alone to lick your wounds?"

As soon as the words were out of Edward's mouth he regretted their choice.

"Wounds? Something happened to Ali?" The bruin's eyes grew wide with worry while his mate worked hard to suppress a laugh from her seat over on the couch.

"It's a figure of speech." Edward sighed and found himself wondering how Emmett survived as a human long enough to become a vampire. The boy had the distinct impression that if his brother actually required oxygen he would likely pass from forgetting to breathe.

Emmett's distress gave away to a hearty laugh as he punched Edward in the shoulder. "I know that. I was just fooling around." Then the bear's face took on a slightly somber expression as he lowered his voice and added, "But seriously, Bro, it's not healthy to let her mope around. This is Alice that we're talking about."

"Edward, go get her and bring her down. She may want to be alone, but we all know that what she really needs is to know that her family is here for her. Alice needs our support. She might fuss about it at first, but she knows that we're only looking out for her best interest and Jasper's for that matter. He wouldn't want her to be alone and feeling depressed."

"I'm sure that you're right, Rose, but I think it's just better that we respect her wishes for the time being."

"And when do you think will be a better time to make sure that she realizes that we want to help make her feel better? After Jasper's back home?"

"Rose, listen…."

Edward suddenly found himself lifted off of his feet and moved to the side before Emmett raced up the stairs unimpeded while yelling at the top of his voice, "Ali baby, ready or not, here I come!"

"Oh shit!"

Edward darted after his lumbering brother and grabbed him by the arm as he shushed him harshly. "Emmett, stop. Just stop. Leave her alone."

"Dude, you might know what's going on in her head, but that don't mean that you know what she needs. It doesn't do to have little sis mopey and I'm going to do something about it."

"No, you're not and keep your voice down," the boy whispered as his dark eyes flashed in annoyance. "You have to listen to me."

"Ali! Ali, where are you? Come on out. It's your favorite brother here to rescue you!"

"Would you shut up, you big doofus?"

"Mary Alice, you can't hide from me!" Emmett walked a little further down the hall towards Alice's room dragging a protesting Edward along with him. The bruin stopped and sniffed the air. "Are you sure that she's here, Eddie? I'm only picking up old scent markers coming from her room. Maybe she's hanging out somewhere else. Your room listening to music? Might be why she didn't hear me." Bellowing louder, Emmy tried again. "Alice! Where are you, Ali Baby?"

"Emmett would you just…."

A quiet voice sounded in Edward's head to overshadow his brother's braying causing the boy to shiver as the venom chilled in his veins.

_Yes, Edward, please do tell, where is Alice?_

Slowly turning, the boy was met with the sight of his father leaning in the doorway of his study with an expectant expression on his face. Nonchalantly, Carlisle crossed his arms as he maintained eye contact with his boy.

_I asked you a question, Edward._ "I expect an answer, young man." _I don't know what is going on, but I am certain that you can enlighten me. Now, I will only repeat myself once. _"Where is Alice?"

* * *

**AN:** I think Jazz might be just a tad happy to find out that venom melts contacts now. My thought is this is how Alice made that discovery to be able to share the info with Bella later. Our brave little solider is just going to have to come to grips with the fact that this is something he really can't hide. He should have told Eleazar right away, but his pride and that bit of fear of rejection just wouldn't let him. At least now he doesn't have to fret about Alice's reject any longer so that's a step in the right direction.

Now the situation for Edward and Alice... well that's a little bleaker. Even I feel sorry for Edward. Poor thing was just trying to help out and thanks to Emmy's big mouth Carlisle's best and brightest has his butt is one hell of a sling.

As always, my undying gratitude goes out to my wonderful readers who keep me motivated with your words of encouragement...and sometimes concern. ;-) Of course I wouldn't be able to do this nearly as well without the assistance of my most awesome beta, Splinter.

This monstrosity has gone on much longer than I expected, but there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I swear it's there, you just have to squint a bit to see it.


	19. The Truth Shall Set You Free

"Edward?"

Carlisle's brooding artistic son released his grip on his brother's arm as his mind raced for the correct words that could save him and his sister from imminent danger, but the harder he thought the worse his outlook became. Finally finding himself at a complete loss, he gave a soft sigh and he shook his head slowly while struggling to hold his father's gaze.

Carlisle cocked a brow while patiently waiting for the boy's response. When it became apparent that none was forthcoming, he offered a new question to try to get Edward talking.

"Esme told me that you informed her that Alice was out hunting. Is that true, Son?"

"Yes, what Mom said is true."

A tiny flame flickered in Carlisle's amber eyes as his son clearly skirted around his actual question. So this was going to be a game. The elder cleared his throat to suppress a frustrated growl before speaking softly again. "Edward, is Alice out hunting?"

"As far as I know, yes, Sir, she is. The last time I spoke to her, Alice said that she was going on a hunt."

"And when was the last time that you spoke to Alice?"

"When we got out of school, Pops," the bruin spoke up with a hopeful expression as he tried to help his tongue tied brother out. "Eddie said that Alice decided to go on ahead of us because she wanted to hunt and hang in her private Ali-Jazz place. I really wish that she had waited since it would have been nice to have gone with her. I mean I think a run would have done us all some good. It's just not right for us to be locked down all the time, but.. well you know. Not a whole lot any of us can do about it right now." Emmett scratched the back of his neck as he lowered his head clearly still slightly embarrassed at his recent misbehavior that had managed to get all of his siblings into trouble.

"Emmett, while I appreciate your input, I was speaking to Edward. Please refrain from answering for him." Carlisle's eyes never left his first born as he spoke. "Edward, is what Emmett said true? Is that what happened?"

Unable to bear the weight of his father's steady stare any longer, the bronze haired boy lowered his gaze to the floor.

"Edward, I suggest that you start being truthful with me, Son. You're not doing yourself any favors with this attempt at deception. Now answer me honestly, when did you last speak with your sister?"

Edward drew a deep unnecessary breath to try to calm himself before quietly whispering, "This morning in the parking lot at school."

Carlisle fell into silent thought which apparently had the effect of causing his son's head to droop lower.

"Oh, that is so not good, Dude; not good for you or Ali," Emmett whispered low to Edward.

"Yes, Em. I'm well aware of that fact, which is why I didn't want you to go looking for Alice in the first place," the boy spat.

"Edward." The name was spoken as a mild rebuke that succeeded in silencing Carlisle's errant son. After a few awkward moments of silence, the patriarch caught his brawny boy's eye. "Emmett, please go downstairs. It seems that Edward and I have a few matters to discuss."

"Um, yeah. Sure thing, Pops. If it's alright with you, I think I might see if Rosie wants to take a little run or something."

"I think that is an excellent idea, Em. Just don't stray off of the property."

"No, Sir. We won't do anything like that." Clapping his hand against his brother's shoulder, Emmett gave Edward a little squeeze of support. "Sorry, Bro. If I had known I wouldn't have...well, you know."

"Not your fault," Edward muttered. "Sorry we kept you in the dark, but it was better for you to not be involved. You didn't need the trouble."

"Neither did you, Son," Carlisle spoke as he reached out and tipped Edward's head up to look in his eyes. With a slight jerk of his head, the elder motioned inside his study. "Let's go, Edward. This is most certainly not something to be discussed out here in the hallway." Go _take a seat and I'll be with you shortly. And, Edward. _The boy swallowed hard as his eyes reflected his worry and regret. _Use this time wisely to collect your thoughts instead of trying to concoct more tales. I will not tolerate anything other than the truth from you. Understand? _

Edward remained silent as the grave but offered his father a nearly unperceivable nod.

Carlisle stepped to the side to allow his son to enter the room before closing the door quietly while he watched his other boy head towards the stairs. "Emmett, you won't have the services of Alice to let you know when to return and if you're out hunting or… engaging in some other recreational activity, I wouldn't want to call at an inopportune moment. With those things in mind I'll just ask now that you give us a couple of hours?"

The dark curly haired bruin grimaced as he glanced back at his father. "That long?"

"Just in case."

"You've got it, Pops, but try not to be too… I'm sure it was all a mistake. You know how things can get screwed up around here at times."

Carlisle exhaled quietly. "I'm certain that it was a mistake, Em and your concern for your brother has been noted. Have a good evening. We'll see you and Rose soon, I'm sure." The elder gave the faintest nod of dismissal and waited as the boy turned away and disappeared down the stairwell.

Standing alone in the hallway, he allowed himself a moment of reflection and speculation before he went in to confront his son. Carlisle knew that there had to be a good reason for Edward's dishonesty and Alice's disappearance, but regardless of the reasons he would not be able to let these transgressions go unpunished. While he felt certain that it wasn't the case, it felt as though his children were taking advantage of his weakened state and flaunting the rules. A low growl rolled deep in his chest at the thought. He would have to nip this in the bud before it could escalate into an outright challenge of his authority.

Carlisle took a slow deep breath and held it for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. His building irritation flowed out of him with the unnecessary air, helping the patriarch to stabilize his emotions before facing his son. Anger had rarely been an ally of Carlisle's and he knew that it had no place here.

Turning in towards the doorway, Carlisle suddenly alerted to the sound of footsteps rapidly ascending the stairs. Esme was at his side before he could make a move.

"Carlisle, what's going on? Emmett and Rosalie just left and said that I probably would want to make myself scarce as well. What's happened? What's wrong?" There was a frantic tone to Esme's words that made Carlisle fear she was on the verge of slipping into her over protective mother role.

"Everything is going to be okay, Sweetheart. Calm down." He took her hands in his as he stared into her eyes. "I just found out that Edward hasn't seen Alice since this morning before school."

"How can that be? They have several classes together and he said…."

"Our son has been hiding the truth from us, Love and I'm about to get to the bottom of what's going on. I need to find out where Alice is and make sure that she's safe. After that, Edward and I are going to have an extended discussion on the importance of honesty, though I should have thought he would have learned that lesson long ago."

"You don't think Alice is in trouble, do you?"

"Oh, Esme, I think Alice is in plenty of trouble, but I don't think she's in any danger. I have a sneaking suspicion that I know where she is. You probably know, too. "

Esme bit the side of her cheek as she shook her head, "Denali? But wouldn't Carmen have called to let us know that she was there?"

"I have to guess that our little girl is keeping herself hidden from them."

"Carlisle, what if she is scared to come home? What if she ran into some undesirables and never made it up there? Jasper wouldn't even know to be on the lookout for her since he doesn't have his phone and she couldn't call. What if she did get there and they decided to take off and we never see them again?"

"Shh shh shhh. Esme, there is no point in getting worked up just yet. This is all speculation already. Why don't you go take a walk and calm down while I talk to Edward? As soon as I get some solid answers, I'll give you a call and fill you in. We'll make a plan then. Don't focus on the worst, Sweetheart. Alice is smart and her ability keeps her safe. I'm sure that she is alright and we'll get this resolved quickly."

"I'm not going anywhere, Carlisle. I'm not going anywhere until we get some answers."

Carlisle cocked his head as he looked seriously at his wife. "Are you sure that you want to be involved in this, love? This is Edward that I'm going to be dealing with."

"I won't stay when you address his behavior, but I need to know what happened to Alice. I just can't wait for you to call, Carlisle. I have to find out now."

Carlisle closed his eyes for a moment as he bowed his head. Lifting it once again, he looked deeply into his mate's eyes while he brought her hands up to his lips to kiss them gently. "Then let's go find out together."

Holding the door open, he ushered Esme inside before following her and shutting it firmly behind them.

Edward was sitting in one of the high backed chairs situated in front of his father's heavy mahogany desk, but quickly came to his feet at the sight of his mother. For a brief moment he thought that she had come to rescue him from his fate, but the disappointment that dulled her dark topaz eyes quickly extinguished that flicker of hope and made him lower his gaze in shame.

"Edward, I believed that I had asked you to be seated."

With a quick glance at Carlisle, Edward slumped back down into his chair with a soft, "Yes, Sir."

Her son's hanged dog expression caused Esme to sigh as she took a seat in the chair next to him and placed a comforting hand on his knee. Swallowing back the thick venom that rose in his throat like bile, Edward looked up into his mother's eyes.

"Edward Antony Cullen, I cannot believe that you would lie to me. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

The boy closed is onyx eyes as he pinned his chin against his chest. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't want to lie to you, but I really had no other choice."

"The truth is always a choice, Edward. As fate would have it, it is always the correct choice. Veritas vos liberabit. The truth shall set you free." It was Carlisle's patient quiet voice that answered him as the patriarch leaned back against the edge of his desk with arms crossed and a sad expression on his face.

Edward shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Help us understand, baby." Esme ran her hand though her son's unruly hair as worry for him took the lead of her emotions.

"Edward, we clearly assume that you are attempting to protect Alice. Is this assumption incorrect?"

Carlisle's first born shook his head before muttering, "I just didn't want her to get into any trouble."

"That's understandable, Son, but now I expect the truth from you." Heaving a sigh, Carlisle leaned forward and tapped the youth under his chin. "Look at me, Edward." Once their eyes locked the patriarch inquired softly, "Where is Alice?"

"Hopefully on her way home."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes in frustration. "Edward, do not think for a moment that your mother's presence will prevent me from putting you over this desk right here and now if you don't stop with the evasiveness. I asked you a straight forward question and I expect your response to be returned in kind. Now, must I clarify my question with my belt or are we finally done with this game? The choice is yours."

Edward swallowed audibly as his eyes flickered toward the narrow black strip of leather around Carlisle's waist.

"Dad, when I said that Alice was out hunting that really was the truth. She did go out on a hunt; I just never specified what she was hunting. Alice went off to hunt down Jasper. Since she isn't back yet, I'm guessing that her hunt was successful and that she's with him now."

At the boy's words, Esme released a held breath as she gave Edward's knee a little squeeze. "Thank God she's safe."

"For now." Carlisle's words drew the attention of both his mate and his son, but he ignored their unspoken questions. "When did this plan to deceive me come about?"

"Alice needed to see Jasper, so this morning she asked me to provide a cover for her. I was never supposed to have to lie to either of you. She should have been home well before suspicions were raised. That was the plan. My part in it was to keep Emmett from …well, from being Emmett. It worked for a while, but obviously he got away from me and now Alice is going to kill me."

"In your place, I would not be worried about Alice's reaction right now. I am appalled by the behavior of both of you and you both will be held responsible."

Edward switched his gaze from Carlisle to Esme as he silently pleaded with his mother for help out of his current dilemma, but her thoughts did not offer him much hope.

_Baby, I wish that I could make it all go away; God knows that I do, but you did this to yourself. You know better and this is one time that I am not going to interfere with your father's decision to punish you. You knew the risks involved, but you acted foolish anyway. _

"Edward." Carlisle once again demanded the boy's attention as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You said that Alice **needed** to see Jasper. Why this sudden need? Has something occurred that we should be made aware of?"

The boy closed his eyes before drawing a deep breath. "I made a promise. It's not my place to say anything."

Esme gasped as her earlier concerns came back to haunt her, but Edward quickly scanned her thoughts and shook his head.

"They aren't running away, at least that wasn't in Alice's plans. They just needed to be together today. Please trust me. They will be fine and Alice should be home at any time."

Esme popped up out of her chair and began to pace off the sudden surge of nervous energy. Pulling out her phone, she frantically tried to call her missing daughter while Carlisle gave Edward a piercing glare.

"Son, given your performance this evening, don't you think that asking for our trust right now is a little overly presumptuous?" Carlisle's voice carried a sharp tone that cut Edward deeply.

"I didn't want to lie. It's not something that I set out to do."

"Of course you did, Edward or you would have been forthcoming from the beginning."

"I couldn't be. You don't understand. I had to protect Alice."

Carlisle's jaw clenched tightly as he turned away from his son and rubbed his forehead while feeling his ire rise to a dangerous level.

"Her phone is going straight to voice mail. I don't know if she has it turned off or the battery died, but I can't get in touch with her, Carlisle."

"Mom, I promise you, Alice is fine. You have nothing to worry about."

"EDWARD!" Carlisle growled as he turned on his son. "You will keep quiet and not speak unless spoken to directly. I believe that we've heard enough from you for the moment."

Edward slumped down further in his chair as he eyed his irate father cautiously, but wisely kept quiet.

"Esme, why don't you give Carmen a call and get Jasper on the phone? At least we can find out if Alice is still there or if she has already headed back and if she has, approximately what time." Taking a breath Carlisle glanced at his sulking son.

_I apologize for being short with you, Edward, but I can't hear myself think and while I'm sure that you believe Alice is out of harm's way, we don't know that for a fact. There have been travelers passing through these last few months. What if one or more of them crossed Alice's path? I trust her visions to keep her safe, but we do know that they are subjective to change at a moment's notice. Until she is safely back in this house, there are no guarantees. _

Edward's head slowly dropped as he allowed his father's words to filter in and out.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad, Son. I just want you to understand why I'm so upset with the situation."

Esme clicked off her cell phone as she turned back to her husband and son. "Eleazar says that they haven't seen Jasper all day. They went out looking for him a few times, but a storm has blown up and they can't pick up his scent because of the wind and the sleet. This morning Jasper left the house claiming that he had something to do in Healy, but that he would be back. Do you think he was meeting Alice in Healy?"

Instead of responding, Carlisle looked to his son.

Edward shook his head without looking up at his parents. "He wouldn't have known that Alice was coming. She wouldn't have risked trying to call him and I really don't think he would have called her."

"Carlisle, we should go help with the search. We can book the next flight out and be there within the next hour."

Edward finally raised his head and looked at his father. Carlisle's head was down as his mind flew. As calm as he tried to appear to Esme, his mind reading son knew the truth. The patriarch was a bundle of nerves as he battled against his confusion over what his next move should be.

"Dad?"

Inky black tempestuous eyes met Edward's causing an involuntary shudder in the younger man.

"Give Alice a chance to come home. I know that I'm going to have to earn your trust again, but I'm asking you to trust Alice. She will come back home. Jasper will have kept her safe. It is better for her to come home to you and momma being here than to return to an empty house."

Edward took a deep breath as he shifted his gaze to Esme and then back to Carlisle. "You asked me if something happened. I cannot offer details, but yes, something did. It's nothing horrific or earth shattering, but Alice felt that she could give Jasper some peace of mind that he wouldn't be able to get from Eleazar and Carmen."

The boy snapped his attention back around to his mother as her thoughts echoed in his head.

"She won't let him run. Alice brought him here in the first place because this is where she knew they both belonged. She is his compass and will always lead him home." Taking another breath, Edward swallowed hard. "That's why I know beyond any shadow of doubt that she will be back soon. Alice would never have wanted you guys to worry and she didn't want me to be in the position that I'm in right now. If she planned on staying with Jazz or running away with him, she would not have involved me. Plausible deniability. I lost that the moment I agreed to mislead Emmett.

I've lost your trust, but don't automatically revoke it from Alice as well. Give her a chance. She deserves it."

Carlisle allowed his gaze to leave his son and settle on the flooring as he mulled over the boy's words. Finally clearing his throat, the elder pushed off of the desk and walked over to his wife to wrap a comforting arm around her. "We'll give her until morning. If we haven't heard anything by then, all of us will go to Denali as a family to search for them."

Esme clung to her mate as a soft whimper slipped out while she buried her face against his chest.

"Shh, grá mo chroí." Brushing her hair back, Carlisle placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I believe that Edward is correct. Alice will return and it is better for her to do it on her own."

Placing his cheek against the crown of Esme's head, Carlisle looked over at his son. "Edward, go to your room. You are to remain there until morning or until such time as I come for you and there is to be no music. An dtuigeann tú?"

"Yes, Sir." The boy got to his feet and headed towards the door when his father's soft voice once again stopped him as his hand rested on the doorknob.

_Edward, don't delude yourself into believing that we are through here. Your deceitfulness will not go unchecked, young man._

For a several seconds the only sound that broke the stillness was Esme's quiet sniffling before Carlisle's thoughts echoed in his son's head once again.

_But I need to thank you, Son. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and giving us hope when it tried to slip away from us. I want to believe that you are right and so I shall. You may go now._

Giving his father a nod, the youth let himself out of the study and closed the door quietly behind him before trudging slowly up the stairs to his room.

Once safe in his sanctuary, Edward turned off the lights and sunk into his lounge chair as he looked out of the wall length windows into the velvety darkness with tears glistening in his eyes. It had never occurred to him that Alice could be in any danger, but his father had a point about the nomads. If anything happened to his sister he would never be able to forgive himself.

"Alice, hurry." He whispered to the night. "Please hurry home."

* * *

Alice ran hard through the primeval forest as she raced towards her home and the trouble that awaited her there. Quietly she castigated herself for having stayed far too long with Jasper, but time had a way of slipping away so easily when she was in her mate's company. Now they would both be in a world of trouble and worse than that, so was Edward.

She and Jasper had been lying beneath a blanket of stars well north of Denali and the squall line that engulfed Jasper's home away from home enjoying the dazzling display of the aurora borealis when a flash of vision brought her back to her senses. The sight of Edward bent over Carlisle's desk was enough to make the pixie lose interest in the celestial light show. It was one thing for her to have to accept punishment for breaking the rules, but she had never meant for her brother to face their father's wrath as well.

Alice had known from the start that she would most likely be spending some time across her daddy's knee. The visions had been rather clear on that front, but Edward's future had not been decided so she had convinced herself that he would be safe. She should have known better, but her desire to see Jasper so overwhelmed that she allowed herself to ignore common sense.

"Damn."

In an attempt to alleviate her growing concern for her brother, Alice let her mind drift back to her mate. At least Edward's sacrifice wouldn't be entirely in vain. It had taken a lot of talking to convince Jasper that he needed to confide in their cousins about his unfortunate accident, but in the end she had succeeded. Before they parted company, the petite young woman had secured her mate's word and she knew that his word was his bond. It wouldn't be easy for Jasper to swallow his pride and admit his accident, but he would and then things would improve. She couldn't see it yet, but in her unbeating heart she knew that to be true.

Alice slowed to a near human jog as she carefully skirted the edge of the wolf territory. She was in enough trouble and didn't need the additional drama of voiding the treaty that her father had so carefully established with the revolting creatures so long ago. Alice crinkled up her nose as the stench of the beasts permeated the entire woodland area. _How could anything smell that horrid? _With a graceful leap she easily crossed the river and was once again in her family's territory. It was only then that the young woman caught the glimmer of golden eyes in the deep shadows she had just passed through.

_Shit. Well it didn't attack so maybe I'm okay. _Alice locked eyes with the hulking black mass before forcing a smile. "Hi. I'm sorry if I misstepped somewhere. I really did try to stay in the neutral grounds and I didn't hunt here at all. I'm just traveling through on my way back home and this boundary gave me the most direct route. I swear I meant no disrespect and no harm was done."

A snarling warning growl tore the peace of the predawn darkness before the eyes disappeared as the beast thundered away in the direction of their village.

She sighed softly. _Damn wolves._ Suddenly and quite inappropriately, the girl found herself hit with a fit of giggles. _Gold wolf eyes._ _What was Jazzy thinking? And to end up with smiley yellow instead_. She snorted at the memory of her mate's attempt at hiding his crimson eyes, but had to at least give him credit for trying.

Alice had just gotten to the point where the glowing orange color and deranged happy design was no longer as much as of a distraction when she made the discovery that human contact lenses were not venom proof. One had completely dissolved, leading Alice to think that Jasper had given up and popped them out until she noticed the faint traces of yellow still tinting his other eye. The solider had been mortified, but the failed cover up had made it just a slight bit easier to convince him that he wouldn't be able to continue to lie.

With a quiet whine Alice's fast paced mind dismissed yet another plan. Well there went that idea of using contacts to enhance some of their role play games. It was such a pity, too, since now she was intrigued to find out how her mate had looked as a human with his chestnut brown eyes. Alice squeaked as she conjured up the vision of her handsome mate in all his human glory. She supposed that she could still dress him up in a cavalry uniform with the appropriate colored contacts and let her solider rescue her and earn his rightful reward. At least they would have a couple of hours to play out that fantasy before the venom took its toll on the thin soft lenses. _Too bad they don't make them out of glass. I bet that would hold up. Ooo, I wonder if there is some way to special order them. Maybe that can be on my list of things to buy next._

Alice smiled brightly at the thought, but just as quickly as it had appeared the smile left her face when her home came into view. _That is if I'm ever allowed to shop again._ Halting at the tree line, the pixie gathered her nerve while she scanned the disturbingly quiet structure. She had never been afraid of Carlisle before and it wouldn't do for her to start now. A cool easy breeze ruffled her short dark hair as Alice shivered slightly in anticipation of what awaited her inside.

Circling around the back of the house, the little fashion princess glanced up at the bedroom window that she had left partly open. It had been her intention to slip in unnoticed, but something told her that would not be her best choice any longer. Carlisle had to already know that she hadn't come home and sneaking in through the window would only make her disobedience appear worse and compound her misdeeds.

Slowly, without the skip in her step that was so characteristic of the happy go lucky girl, Alice walked around and mounted the front steps. Drawing in a lungful of cool air, she slipped as quietly into the house as possible.

What small noises could be heard suddenly fell silent as she shut the door. For a second Alice considered taking the bull by the horns and going directly to her father's study but her brave façade faded little by little with each step she took up the stairs. Reaching the second floor landing, Alice swallowed back the thick venom as she glanced between the study door and her bedroom. Self-perseverance finally won out and Alice dashed to her room and bolted through the door into the pitch black room.

Not a second had passed before Alice heard the sound of relaxed easy breathing coming from the chair in the far corner of the room. Automatically, her eyes closed and head bowed low as her mind raced in panic. His scent wafted on the breeze that drifted in through the open window.

"Daddy, I can explain."

With a click, Carlisle turned on the desk lamp and took in the sight of his little girl. Her appearance was a bit disheveled, but otherwise she appeared no worse for wear.

"And so you shall, but somehow I believe that the explanation is not going to be very satisfactory." The patriarch stood and closed the distance between himself and his delinquent daughter. Placing his knuckle beneath her chin, he gently raised her head and gazed into her eyes. "Are you alright, Mary Alice?"

A knock on the door caused the girl to startle before she nodded her head. "I'm fine," she whispered.

"Excellent." Without breaking his eye contact with Alice, Carlisle called out, "Come in, Sweetheart."

In a flash, Esme had Alice wrapped tightly in her arms. "Baby, you have no idea how worried we have been about you. Don't you ever go off like that again without letting one of us know. Anything could have happened to you and we wouldn't have known where to look."

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Mama, but I knew I would be okay. Really."

Esme pushed the girl back to arm's length before brushing her hair from her forehead. "But we didn't, Alice. We didn't know what to think."

"Didn't Edward tell you?"

"He was extremely reluctant to do so," Carlisle answered softly.

"Please don't be angry with him, Daddy. None of this was Edward's fault. I made him go along with me."

"I don't see how you could have twisted his arm and forced him to do anything that he didn't want to. Edward is perfectly capable of making his own decisions, sweetheart."

"But he thought that I would have been back early. I meant to be back early. I lost track of time. That is not Edward's fault so please don't punish him. It wouldn't be fair. You can't hold him responsible for the things that I do."

"Regardless, you both knew that your mother and I would not approve of you going to Denali on your own like that and worked together to deceive us, therefore you will both be on the receiving end of very similar punishments."

"So you really haven't punished him yet."

"No. I thought that it would be better to have both of my delinquents back home before I took any action."

Alice's worried expression immediately brightened at this unexpected news. "Then you don't have to. Let him go with a warning to not listen to his sister anymore and just punish me. I know what I have coming; knew it when I left this morning. I deserve it, but Edward doesn't. You can even spank me twice or…. I don't know. Take away my credit cards or something." The tiny shopaholic cringed as those last words passed her lips.

Carlisle's expression was soft as he gently rubbed his thumb along his daughter's cheek. "I'm sorry, baby, but my decision has been made. Edward will suffer the consequences of his disobedience the same as you."

"Daddy, be reasonable," Alice groused as she stamped her foot in frustration.

Carlisle cocked his head to the side and raised a brow as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Mary Alice Cullen, I believe that I am being very reasonable and if you are wise, you will monitor your tone. You are in enough trouble, young lady. The last thing you need is more for being disrespectful."

Alice crossed her arms as she lowered her head and huffed loud enough for Carlisle to know that she was not pleased with his rebuke or decision.

With his nearly endless patience wearing thin, the elder took a hold of his daughter's elbow and delivered a single swat to her derriere causing her to yelp more in shock than in pain. Releasing her, Carlisle raised his finger as he growled quietly, "Lose the attitude this instant, Mary Alice. Consider that your final warning."

The distraught look on his little girl's face caused the patriarch a moment of regret before he strengthened his resolve once again. Clearing his throat, Carlisle stared into Alice's dark hurt eyes. "Alice, you and Edward will be staying home from school. We shall be discussing your behavior in depth once Rosalie and Emmett have left for the day. I have already called the hospital and my shift is covered so you, young lady, will have my undivided attention."

Alice's eyes shimmered as venom coated them while she briskly rubbed at the sting in her backside. "Undivided with the exception of dragging Edward into the fray," she whispered as she lowered her gaze.

A finger beneath her jaw firmly yet gently guided her head back up.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Carlisle cocked a brow as a dark look hardened his eyes, but he decided to let the comment go unanswered.

A light touch on his arm broke through the elder's irritation as his wife softly spoke his name. "Why don't you go take a little walk? Get some fresh air and let Alice calm down. We are all upset right now and need a little break to get some perspective."

Alice dropped her head once again as Carlisle gave a faint nod in response to his wife's words. "Mary Alice, I expect you to stay in your room and put some thought into that explanation. You also might want to give a thought or two to how you could have handled things differently."

"Yes, Daddy," Alice mumbled.

Esme draped her arm over her daughter's shoulder and guided her over towards the bed. Once they were seated together, she hugged Alice close in her protective embrace before looking up at Carlisle. "I'm going to stay with her for a little while and make sure that she's alright then I'll come find you in case you need to talk."

Carlisle closed his eyes for a moment as he shook his head. "That won't be necessary, Love." With a soft sigh, the patriarch walked over towards his daughter and crouched down to look up into her face. "Alice, I'm sorry that I lost my temper. I know that you are just looking out for your brother the same as he was trying to look out for you. I think it's a wonderful and rare thing for you to be so close and want to help one another. Believe me when I say that nothing would make me happier than to be able to let this incident slide, but I can't."

Reaching up he pushed her hair out of her face allowing her to see the tears that had formed in his eyes.

"Edward knows that he deserves to be punished, Sweetheart and I dare say that he has accepted it. I need for you to do the same."

"I already do, Daddy. I know that I should have never run off like that. I left school and broke my grounding to go see Jasper which I should never have done. I know that what I've done is wrong and I'll accept whatever punishment you feel I deserve, but Edward is an innocent victim in this. I put him on the spot. I didn't really give him the opportunity to say no. He didn't really do anything wrong."

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and took a breath.

"Baby, let me ask you a question. Leaving semantics out of this, have you directly lied?"

Alice looked stunned as she shook her head. "No, Daddy. There really was no point since I knew that you had already found out."

"Edward has and that is why he is in trouble." Alice averted her eyes as they filled with sadness once she realized that there was no way to win this battle.

"I didn't mean to lie," Edward called out from upstairs.

"Intent is not a defense, Son. Now please remove yourself from the current conversation. You will have another chance to voice your opinions shortly."

"Ali, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you guys into the shit. You gotta let me know when you're plotting something so I won't fuck it up."

The sincerity in Emmett's poorly worded apology caused Esme to giggle to herself and brought a slight smile to Alice's face while Carlisle shook his head.

Alice met her father's eyes with a questioning look to which he responded with a nod.

"Don't worry about it, Emmy," she answered back. "I didn't see any reason in everyone being in trouble. It's bad enough that Edward got caught in the crossfire."

There was a period of silence before the bruin's voice boomed out once again with glee. "Hey, how do you like that shit? This is one time that I'm not the one with his ass out to the wind."

"Keep it up, Emmett and that can change very quickly."

"No thanks, Pops. I'm good. I'm just going to get ready for school now. You guys carry on and do your thing. I'll just be butting out now."

Carlisle groaned softly. "Privacy; the one thing this house greatly lacks."

Esme smiled. "At least we know they care about each other. That's more than a lot of families can claim these days."

"You make a very good point, my dearest heart." Carlisle stood and kissed his mate before turning his attention back to his daughter. "Young lady, you can spend a little more time with your mother, but then I want you to let her go so she can call Carmen and pass along word that you're back home safe. I'm sure that she and Eleazar have worried themselves sick." He glanced at his wife who nodded quickly. She would let their extended family know that they didn't have to keep an eye out for Alice and the call would also allow Esme to find out if Jasper had made his return.

"We really didn't mean to worry anyone."

"I know, Princess, but worrying is what families do when someone goes missing." Carlisle leaned down and kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "Is Jasper alright?"

"Uh huh. He knows that we love him and that's what will make everything better."

Carlisle looked puzzled. "That should never be in question."

"I know, but sometimes Jazzy needs to be reminded and he's a little bit vulnerable right now."

"I can understand that. I was thinking ….. Never mind, we can talk about that later as well." Giving his daughter a pointed look, Carlisle eased a stern tone into his voice. "You try to relax a bit, Missy and think about the things that I told you. We'll put this all behind us soon and then we'll never have to speak of it again."

"Yes, Daddy." With a pitiful sigh, Alice leaned against Esme as she watched her father slipped out of her room and close the door behind him.

* * *

**AN:** Thank you Splinter for being my beta and having my back! Thanks to everyone for the comments, PMs and everything else. You all are a great group of individuals and I do value your insight. To those who are confused, I apologize. I would like to alleviate some of that confusion, but I can only do so much without giving everything way. What I can say is that there is a reason for the hunter's death. It was not randomly done. A lot of what I do appears random, but very little is.

Jasper is not an outcast. Jasper was removed from a volatile situation where his grip on his self control was slipping and placed in a much calmer environment that would allow him to regain his control. Carlisle could have told him to get the hell out of the house and never return which would have turned him into an outcast, but that isn't what happened. If anyone turned Jasper into an outcast, it was Jasper himself when he ripped the cuff off and renounced being a Cullen. Problem with that; one does not stop being a Cullen that easily.

I am thrilled that people feel the need to defend Jasper so strongly. That says that I must have done something right. However, Jasper is not without fault anymore than Carlisle is. Mistakes have happened on both sides and forgiveness has to follow suit. The idea of the story is not to destroy the family structure, but to stress it and then bring it back together stronger for it's trials. Jasper is being tempered through fire to make him stronger for good reason. He is going to need that strength in a future story if I can get him there.

The last point that I will answer right now is the fact that I didn't make Jasper standoffish with Alice. I knew when I decided to send her to Denali that I would catch backlash for that. Sorry to those who want to have angst between the pair. After the murder Jasper seemed to need comfort and reassurance more than he needed to hold some petty grudge. Yes, I know that many do not see it as petty, but I do. Jasper has no reason to be angry with anyone, but Carlisle. He knows that Alice came to bat for him. Even though many don't feel that she fought hard enough, Jasper was in the study and would have heard her tell Carlisle that what he was planning on doing was wrong. At the time he didn't know what Alice was asking Carlisle to reconsider, but he knows that she fought for him. Again, Jasper knows better than any of the others how a coven operates. He knows that the leader's word is law so it makes no sense for him to lay blame for his predicament on anyone other than Carlisle and himself.


	20. Spanish Inquisition

Jasper walked back toward his current home with his head bowed trying to shake the feelings of abandonment that held him tightly in their grip. Spending time with his mate had seemed like the perfect balm for his tortured lonely soul, but now that she had to return to Forks he almost wished that she hadn't come in the first place. It felt like losing her all over again. It was as though his heart was being ripped out, leaving him bruised, battered and bleeding and the solider wasn't sure just how much of that sensation he could take.

He knew that he would survive and things would eventually be good again, but it was a dark empty path that he must endure before finally realizing that paradise. Alice was his heart and soul. When they first met he honestly felt whole for the first time in his life. She had filled a void in him that he had been completely unaware of until she made it disappear. She was the epitome of everything that was good and right in his world, but like everything else that he had ever treasured, she seemed to fade away when he needed her most.

The young man sighed as he needlessly pulled his coat tighter around his body while the wind and rain beat against his cold hard flesh. That's all he was and all he would ever be; cold, hard, unworthy of love or true happiness. Alice had brought him life and a moment's reprieve from his solitary fate, but his rampant stupidity was driving her away.

Now he would have to honor his promise to his mate, confess his sin and face the resulting fallout. He had been sent out into the wilderness because of his lack of control and potential hazard to his coven. His leader had put stock in the frozen land to chill his feral nature, but instead he had taken the final step and returned to who he truly was; a mindless killer.

Now how could they ever trust him? How could he even dare to trust himself? Jasper snorted humorlessly. Who had he been kidding all this time? He knew that he was a killer. He knew that there was no way he could ever hope to have the kind of control that was the signature trait of his coven. He didn't even know why Carlisle had allowed him through the door and into his home that cold quiet night so many years ago. It was clear from the start that he was different; that he was weak when it came to giving into his urges. He had always known that this was a pointless undertaking for him so why was it that he felt sad and shocked at his ultimate failure?

The last mile to Tanya's house gave Jasper the prospective of how the condemned must feel as they were led to their execution. He inhaled deeply out of habit as he fought against the wind that tried to steal his unneeded breath. How would Eleazar react? Would he be given time to pack his things before being tossed back out into the storm or would his confession be met with immediate expulsion?

The boy shook his head sending the ice that clung to his hair flying. No, he believed that Eleazar was a decent man. He would allow Jasper time to gather his meager belongings before sending him on his way.

Jasper's heart grew heavier as he made out the dark outline of the house through the billowing snow and ice that painted everything, included himself, in a false coat of clean white purity. Even nature tries to hide the truth behind his black soul, but there would be no more hiding. He gave Alice his word and he would keep it. Being honest with his mate was the only shred of virtue he still possessed and he would be damned if he would lose the tiny vestigial remains of his honor.

Stepping up on the porch, he swallowed hard as he gathered his nerve for the task ahead. He knew what to expect so there was no need to feel fear. There was really nothing to worry about. It wasn't as if he hadn't lived on his own before. It was highly unlikely that Eleazar would do any physical harm to him, so why was he so hesitant about walking through this door?

For a brief moment he allowed his thoughts to return to the Cullens. Regardless of how they would all eventually see him once his crime was revealed, he would always hold a place in his cold dead heart for each and every one of them. In their presence he had experienced peace and known true safety for the first time since leaving his human life behind. It had taken years, but it had felt good when he had finally been able to allow himself to lower his defenses. He would miss Edward and his tortured artist's outlook on life. Emmett's ridiculous inability to take anything seriously which was offset by Rosalie's serious view of life and her amazing inner strength to overcome any and everything that life threw at her. In Esme he had discovered the truly unconditional love that only a mother's heart can provide. And then there was Carlisle. Jackass that he may be, Jasper had never met a man who commanded such respect and carried himself with so much quiet dignity. The man's compassion was astounding. _Too bad it picked now to fail him._ The Cullens, each one unique, but they fit together and worked towards the same vision like a well-oiled machine. It was a pity that in the end Jasper didn't fit into their dynamic. He tried and they had attempted to help him fit, but there was just no way that they could force that square peg into his round hole.

Still they were amazing and he would count himself as better for having known them. When Alice had informed her mate of Edward's sacrifice that had allowed her to come see him, the solider had been slightly awed at his brother's action. It took guts to go against Carlisle; guts that the boy hadn't expected his brother to exhibit especially when it only stood to benefit his casted out stupid ass.

Jasper's honey blond head dropped as he mused on that image; the image of Edward Cullen as truly living up to the title of brother. Jasper had come to view Emmett and Edward in much the same light that he recalled Jack and Nate, his human siblings. They had their differences for sure, but he knew that when the chips were down he could count on his brothers to have his back. At least that had always been the case up until now when he had been sent away in disgrace.

Gritting his teeth, Jasper violently shook the thought from his head. No, he would not lay blame on his brothers. This was not his siblings' fault. There was no way that he would expect them to stand against Carlisle. He wouldn't have wanted that anyway as it would have accomplished nothing except to bring more heartache to those he held dear. Whether or not he agreed with Carlisle, the leader was still strong and fit and neither Edward nor Emmett possessed the abilities needed to successfully challenge him. It would have been a fool's game that would have left Jasper feeling responsible for whatever would have befallen them in the end.

No, it was better this way. It was better that the Cullens continue to follow their leader and find strength in each other. With a heart wrenching thought, Jasper found himself entertaining the idea that Alice was better off as a Cullen as well. She would be safe and have everything that she could ever want. The coven would benefit from her gift of foresight which doubtlessly would continue to serve them well as they worked hard at their peaceful existence in the company of humans. Jasper felt certain that he would be deemed unfit for even an omega position at the edge of the coven hierarchy, but he would not see Alice suffer for his deficiency. She was happy as a member of their coven, she was a Cullen at heart and she was truly home. He would not take that away from her.

A heavy suffocating feeling came over the boy as he made peace with what was to happen. He would accept the ostracism that loomed in his future. He would allow his mate to stay where he knew she belonged. Though he would never share his life with another, he would just have to make do with what he had and embrace the nomad's life once again.

Clicking open the lock on the front door, Jasper let himself into the foyer and groaned quietly as the now familiar sound of Carmen's quick footfalls filled him with dread from her rapid approach.

"Jasper Cullen, where in this world have you been?"

Still sporting his dark sunglass camouflage, Jasper shook the sleet from his coat and cringed at Carmen's sharp tone as well as the Cullen name that she had attached to him. He started to snap back, but wisely allowed the retort to die on his tongue as he slid the heavy coat off and hung it up to dry. His hosts still didn't understand how he felt about wearing the Coven moniker and he knew that it would be wrong to take his annoyance out on them, but he felt a flare of resentment that he couldn't quite control.

The slight dark haired woman wrapped her arms around Jasper and hugged him tightly in relief before taking a step back and placing her hands on her hips. "I think that you owe us an explanation, young man."

The southerner ground his teeth in frustration. "Actually, I don't."

Eleazar eased himself up behind his wife and placed a protective arm around her. "Actually, mi amigo, you do. While you are staying with us, we are responsible for you; besides, we were both quite worried. Carmen and I went out in the storm several times to look for you. We feared that something unfortunate had happened."

"I am an adult. I don't need babysitters, Eleazar so just get off my back. The last thing I need right now is another set of pseudo parents sticking their noses into my business."

"I have no wish to be a parent to you, Jasper, but you are still family so we will naturally worry. It isn't too much to ask that you keep us informed about your whereabouts. We want you to have freedom here, but when you say that you'll only be gone a short time and then don't return until the next day, how can we not worry? Those are not the actions of a responsible young man."

"What I do is my own fucking business," the boy spat angrily. "Now kindly back the hell off because I don't need your suffocating bullshit right now . You want to know my whereabouts? Fine. I'm going to my fucking room to lay down. Does that satisfy your need to know?"

Jasper started to turn away to head down the hall to his bedroom when Carmen reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him only to have him jerk it violently from her grasp with a snarl.

"Young man, we are not finished speaking with you."

"That's too damn bad, because I'm done talkin' to you."

The soldier's projected anger began to rub against Eleazar's tattered and thinning nerves. "Jasper, we should not have to tolerate rudeness from a guest in our own home."

"Then maybe you should just fuckin' put me out, too. Isn't that the most desired current solution to dealing with problems? Got an issue? Well ship the damn problem off and let someone else deal with it. New person doesn't want to deal with it either? No worry just send it off again. Not like I'm actually wanted anywhere. Not like anyone really gives two shits about me."

"Jasper Cullen," Carmen began crossly. "You know that's not..."

"Don't call me by that fucking name!" Jasper roared as he turned on his cousin with teeth bared in anger.

Eleazar smoothly stepped between Jasper and his wife, pushing Carmen behind him out of harm's way as he glared at the boy in warning.

"Jasper, you wanted to go to your room? I suggest you go there now before you do or say something that you will come to regret."

The blonde haired youth narrowed his eyes as he held the older man's hard stare. "Fine. I don't need this shit. I didn't know that agreeing to come here meant that I was agreeing to constantly subject myself to the fucking Spanish Inquisition."

A burning sting engulfed Jasper's left cheek and his sunglasses went flying as his head jerked away from the opened handed blow.

As soon as his palm had connected with Jasper's face, Eleazar's anger drained away to be replaced by a flood of bitter remorse. He heard Carmen gasp seconds after the shocking sound of the slap filled the room then all went silent. Jasper stood before him cradling his cheek as he kept his head turned to the side in humiliation and pain. This was not right. This was not as it should be. When and how had he lost control?

"Jasper." Eleazar called the boy's name in a gentle tone as he reached out to touch his shoulder. "Dear God, I'm so sorry. That should have never occurred."

"¡Vete al infierno!" The solider snapped at the elder as he spat venom on the floor near Eleazar's feet before fiercely glaring up into his keeper's dark golden eyes.

The boy's flashing black eyes were highlighted with a deep crimson color which caused the Spaniard to pause for a moment. His mind raced with worry and wonder as to when and how this occurred while the "what" was painfully obvious. He most certainly needed answers to those questions, but for now he suspended his inquiry and focused on the greater need to gain control over the situation and calm Jasper down.

Holding his hands up in a placating manner, Eleazar kept his voice even as he spoke softly. "Jasper, I apologize. I was out of line and had no right to strike you."

"Bullshit! According to Carlisle you have every right since I'm staying under your roof. Well that can fucking change. I don't make it a habit of staying where I'm not wanted and if you think that you can abuse me…. "

"I would never do such a thing and you know that you are most certainly welcomed here. We do want you to stay with us."

"Liar!"

Carmen slowly moved towards Jasper, but her mate blocked her path with his outstretched arm as the boy snarled menacingly.

"It's okay, Cariño. He won't hurt me." She patted her husband's arm then gently pushed it away.

Boldly, the woman closed the distance between herself and the boy who responded to her approach by crouching down defensively.

"Jasper, you need to calm yourself down. You know that I would never harm you in any way, just as I know that you won't hurt me, but in your agitated state you are not thinking clearly. Bebé, listen to me. Listen to more than my words and you will know that I'm speaking the truth. No one is going to send you away and my heart will break if you leave. You are not this problem child that you believe we see you as. It was my fault that you became upset." She put her hand to her breast to indicate herself as she spoke in soft soothing tones that belied the anger rising within her with each step that she took closer to the solider.

"I never meant for my reprimand to upset you so. I was insensitive and I'm asking for your forgiveness. I was worried about you, Jasper; we both were." She motioned to her mate who wore an anxious look as his wife continued to approach the volatile boy. "We searched for you and when we couldn't find your trail we panicked. I paced the floor all night with worry, Corazón. My mind went to places it should never go. That is the only excuse that I can give for my inconsideration of your feelings."

She stood in front of Jasper now and watched his eyes dart between her and her dark imposing mate. Carmen was beginning to question if she possessed the strength to continue to battle against the rage coursing through her system when it suddenly cooled and turned to crippling grief. Jasper gave a strangled whimper as he tightly closed his eyes and turned his face away from her while wrapping his arms around himself for comfort.

Carmen ran her fingers through his damp hair, but he cringed and drew away from her touch.

"I'm sorry, Carmen." The words had been spoken so faintly that it was hard for even the vampire's sensitive ears to hear. Another wave of despair crashed over the woman causing her to gasp softly, bringing her mate rushing to her side. With a wave of her hand she let him know that he had nothing to fear and kept him silent.

Capturing Jasper's chin, she pulled his head gently back around towards her then lightly cradled his face between her hands.

"Open your eyes, Jasper."

The boy shook his head and tried to lower it, but with firm resistance the woman refused to allow him to do so.

"Jasper, please open your eyes. There is nothing to fear."

Slowly his eyes fluttered open, but the boy kept his gaze downcast.

"Will you grant me your forgiveness?"

The simple question had the desired effect. Jasper glanced up into his cousin's soft caring eyes while confusion shone brightly in his.

"You've done nothing that requires my forgiveness, Carmen. I was the one to act like a deranged fool. You played no part in that."

"Yes. Yes, I have. I have distressed you and that is something that I never wished to do." She felt Jasper tremble ever so slightly. "I need your forgiveness, Corazón or we will never be able to completely put this incident behind us and move forward."

Jasper shook his head and sighed. "I still say that you've done nothing, but of course I'll forgive you."

The woman smiled as he held the trembling boy's gaze. "And I forgive you, Bebé so now all is forgiven and everything is good."

The youth inhaled deeply. "Nothing is good. I've done something terrible as you can plainly see and there is no way that I can make that right. I've condemned myself to a meaningless lonely existence all because I don't have the strength to be who I want to be."

"Jasper, I have known many great men in my time, both human and vampire. I have always been truthful with you, yes?" Eleazar placed his hand on the boy's shoulder as he spoke.

"Yes."

"Then let me tell you this truth. It is a rare thing to find in another the strength that you possess. You think cruelly of yourself for no reason at all."

"I killed a man."

Eleazar's chest rose as he drew a calming breath. "Yes, I can see that you have."

"There is no excuse for that; no redemption. I am weak, vile and worthless."

"No, you are not." Carmen brushed his hair out of his face. "You are brave and noble. You have a good heart which is why you find yourself suffering. If you were this vile vision that you hold onto, you would feel nothing about the man's death."

Jasper gave a little dismissal snort at her words. "Doesn't matter how I feel about it. What matters is that I killed him. I didn't have the strength to resist."

Eleazar gestured towards the living room. "Come and sit down with me so that we may talk in comfort."

Jasper allowed Carmen to lead him towards the couch in front of the fire. She sat him down and smoothly pulled his boots off, placing them near the fire to dry, before forcing him to put his feet up and relax his body into the thick plush cushions. The boy found the heat oddly comforting and the dancing flames seemed to mesmerize and calm him.

Eleazar took a seat in his recliner and pulled Carmen to sit on his lap before turning off the television and turning his focus on the troubled youth.

"You are a vampire, Jasper. There is no way to get around that fact. To kill humans is normal for you. They are your natural prey. The fact that you abstain at all is a show of your strength."

Jasper shook his head at the Spaniard's words. "It's not good enough."

"It is. Every time you resist your nature you fortify your compassion and become better able to resist."

"But I can't resist like the others. I always fail."

"We all fail sometimes. Slips in our control are bound to happen. Not one of us is perfect and time is not on our side when it comes to this. You are no different than any of us, Jasper. You are not weaker. We all have failures, but we go on and try harder to resist."

"Carlisle has never failed. Rosalie has never slipped up."

Eleazar closed his eyes and felt his wife slide her arm around the back of his neck.

"They are the exceptions, not the rule," she stated plainly. "We would all like to think that we possess perfect control at all times, but few can and given the right or wrong circumstances as the case may be, even Carlisle and Rosalie are most certainly capable of killing a human. There is no magic that makes them better than anyone else. If we live long enough every last one of us is bound to lose control; even Carlisle."

Jasper sunk a little deeper into the sofa and closed his eyes as he sighed softly.

"They won't want me back; not after this."

"Don't be silly. They are your family. Their love for you is without condition."

"Carlisle sent me here because he was afraid that I would kill a man. Now , even in this barren wilderness where I shouldn't have been able to easily kill a human, my special talents won out and he has been proven right. If he didn't want me because I might kill, how could he ever accept me back now that I have?

I am too dangerous to have around. I'm a hazard to the humans that we interact with and I stand to take down my entire coven with my carelessness. I am an irredeemable mindless killer who should just go to Volterra and ask to be put down."

Eleazar groaned softly as he shook his head in dismay. "Now I see why my friend runs his coven the way that he does. You young people have hard heads. It is little wonder that you end up with sore asses. Jasper, Carlisle sent you here because he felt that emotions running between you, that man and his child were unhealthy for you. It was his hope that once away from that onslaught you would be able to regain your focus. You are not a mindless killer and no one thinks this of you."

"But I am. Look what I've done."

"What did you do? Tell me about this kill of yours. When did it occur and under what circumstances?"

"It doesn't matter." Jasper folded his arms and glanced away from Eleazar and into the fire. _Fire would take care of everything. I wouldn't be around to be a bother to anyone any more. They would be better without me anyway._

"But it does. Where were you? Is this something that happened in town? Is there damage that we need to control?"

Without looking away from the fire the boy shook his head.

"It happened the day before while I was out hunting sheep. I had made a kill when a hunter came across me. He wanted my sheep for a trophy and threatened me." Jasper scoffed at the memory. "Dumbass didn't know what he was talking to. I had just wanted to scare him away from my kill, but he wouldn't leave and when he touched my sheep…." The solider finally looked over at Eleazar and Carmen. "I wanted to stop. I knew that what I was doing was wrong, but one taste and I just couldn't." He lowered his gaze in utter disgust.

Eleazar remained quiet as he carefully considered what he had been told before he cleared his throat. "A lone hunter?"

"Yes. I didn't see or smell anyone else."

"A local and, from what it sounds like, a poacher," Carmen added softly as she nodded.

"We shall watch the papers to see for reports of missing persons. At least we can try to offer the family closure." The dark haired man looked back at the boy. "Where is the body now?"

"I brought him closer to the main road so it will be easier for him to be discovered."

Eleazar frowned slightly. "Scavengers may have found him already in which case this won't matter much, but how was the state of his wound."

"I'm a mindless murdering beast, Eleazar. It looks like a mindless beast ripped his throat out," Jasper responded a bit more bitterly than he intended.

"Jasper, you did everything that you could do to protect yourself and the secret of our species. The death is unfortunate, but is little more than a case of the man being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was your instinct and his stupidity that caused his death. You are no more at fault than a wolf who kills a rabbit. It was simply this hunter's time to die. He thought himself the apex predator and was proven wrong."

"That doesn't excuse what I've done."

"I imagine that to your conscience there will be no excuse that will satisfy, but you did what you could do to avoid tragedy. This was very clearly an accident brought on at no fault of your own."

The soldier's expression as he stared back into the flickering flames told Eleazar that Jasper did not agree with his assessment.

After several long minutes with only the crackling fire piercing the silence, Jasper finally spoke at a whisper.

"Are you going to put this in your report to Carlisle?"

"No, Jasper. I have no report anyway, but if I did, I would not. It is for you to tell him and may I suggest that you do so soon. The longer you wait the harder it becomes. Getting this off your chest will make you feel much better. It will also allow you to dismiss your worry."

"What if you're the one who is wrong, Eleazar? What if I'm right and he becomes disgusted by the sight of me?"

"Then he would not be the Carlisle Cullen that I have known, but it is still better to know than to speculate."

Jasper gave a slight nod before he looked over at his patient cousins. "Carmen. Eleazar. I know that I don't deserve it, but please accept my apology for… well just for everything. There are no excuses for my behavior this morning. I was angry and I tried to make both of you angry so you would just throw me out of your house and prove me right. No one should want to have me around. You certainly don't need the aggravation, but damn it, you two are stronger than I gave you credit for being." His focus fell entirely on the beautiful dark haired woman. "Especially, you."

"What did I say that made you so angry, Jasper?" Carmen's voice was soft and so full of a warmth that the boy found himself wanting to open up to her.

"I was angry at being called a Cullen which seems really stupid now. Part of me doesn't want to be associated with Carlisle and another part doesn't see itself as being worthy of being called a Cullen; especially after this." He motioned towards his scarlet eyes.

Carmen slipped off her mate's lap and went to Jasper. Sitting down next to him, she pulled him upright into her arms and held him gently as she cradled his head against her chest. "I did not realize that the name was offensive to you, sweetheart. I will not use it again until such time as you let me know that you are comfortable with it once more."

A quiet sad laugh came from the boy as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Not sure that will ever happen."

"Hush, now. Give it time, Jasper. Time heals all wounds and time is one thing that we have in abundance."

* * *

**AN:** Thank you all for your kind words and comments. They are always greatly appreciated, even the ones that do not agree with the direction that the story takes. I appreciate the time that y'all take to post your thoughts and feelings about my little ramblings.

I need to apology for making some feel that I don't value their opinions or take them into consideration. Actually, I honestly do consider all input very carefully. Some things brought up, while valid and interesting points, are not within the scope of this story to explore. They are things that I will keep in mind in the future that can help make for more in-depth interesting stories that will appeal to a wider audience.

"Dark Justice" was never meant to be some epic story of betrayal. It was the epilogue to a lighter simpler story. It has already gone on much longer than it should have. I have been accused of being afraid to explore some of the issues. That is not true as I get a great deal of pleasure in pushing the limits. It's more an issue of the story dragging on to a point that I become bored and just walk away from it, which I have done and don't wish to do again. I would rather complete it even if I'm the only one satisfied with it, than to drop it and allow it to die a miserable death in the piles of incomplete fan fiction.

Anyway, those are my thoughts and position. Many thanks again to those who share theirs with me. Special thanks to Splinter for all of her hard work.

Until next time...


	21. For Alice's Sake

Carlisle ran his hands through his hair along his temples then laced his fingers together behind his head. Leaning back in his desk chair the patriarch listened to the thumping of his brawny son getting ready for school. All too soon for the elder's taste, Rosalie and Emmett would be out of the house and on their way which would signal his need to address Edward's and Alice's behavior. Once they had privacy there would be no point in putting it off any longer. That only served to prolong the suffering of all involved which is something that he also didn't wish to do.

With a quiet groan, Carlisle let his mind wander as it tried to come to grips with his children's transgressions. The anger and concern that he had felt in the beginning had finally fled and given away to a deep penetrating sadness. Though their actions had most certainly been wrong, Carlisle knew that his children had done what they felt was right which made this task much more difficult to face. Punishing his children was never easy, but having to correct his first born and his princess seemed like an especially daunting undertaking at this moment.

In their own ways both had lied. That was simply an offense that Carlisle could not let go unpunished, but his son had lied in an attempt to protect his sister. The patriarch had taught them to protect one another though it never occurred to him that they would feel the need to protect each other from him. Had he become that difficult to approach? Did they suddenly view him as difficult to talk to or reason with? He would always lend an ear to his children and seriously consider their opinions, concerns or objections, so what had changed?

Carlisle let his hands fall free as he rubbed his eyes in frustration as an answer formed in his head. _Jasper._ The way that he had dealt with Jasper had altered his children's ability to trust him. Maybe they were afraid that he would arbitrarily send them from the house because of some minor transgression. Surely, Edward knew better than that, but perhaps Alice didn't. It was her mate, after all, who had been excised from the family unit. Carlisle trusted his baby girl's visions to show her that this was temporary and for Jasper's own good, but maybe she didn't trust what she had been shown or worse, maybe she had seen something to the contrary.

The elder balled up his fist and placed it against his lips as he considered that horrible revelation. He felt certain that had Alice seen a negative outcome she would have said something, but what if she now saw him as unapproachable or unreliable. Carlisle had always put the utmost stock in his daughter's ability, but maybe he hadn't allowed her to fully express herself the night that he told her of his plan to send Jasper to Denali. Had she really seen a positive outcome or had she simply given into his demands because he was her coven leader? Would he have altered his decision had she told him that this idea of his would end badly? He doubted it, not that it mattered now. Now he had to live with his decision and just hope that in the end it had been the right one to make.

Bringing his fist up to press against his forehead, Carlisle sighed as he tried to let go of his skepticism and regain his focus. It was natural to not want to see his children suffer, but right now he could not allow himself to question decisions that he was powerless to change. He needed to keep his focus on the current issue and not allow himself to get mired in self-pity. Perhaps he could have handled things better when it came to Jasper, but he had done what he felt was in the boy's best interest at the time. His children might hold his actions against him, but that still did not have any bearing on what had happened here last night and this morning.

The thundering of Emmett taking the stairs two at a time drew his attention fully back into the present. It was time to decide how he would handle his miscreants.

For the first time that Carlisle could recall Alice was the instigator who had managed to get one of her siblings into trouble with her. Usually that played out the other way around, generally with Emmett taking the lead. That meant, in all fairness, his little pixie princess should be the one punished most sternly. Carlisle found himself breathing a sigh of relief that Jasper was fifteen hundred miles away because this wasn't going to be pretty and the elder was only too well aware of how his southern son would respond to his mate being in distress. _Oh course if you hadn't sent him to Denali none of this would have ever been an issue anyway._ Carlisle groaned. _Stop it! That doesn't do anyone any good so just stop and let it go__._

He ran his hand over his face while allowing his eyes to go unfocused as he pondered his next move.

_Edward, what am I going to do with you?_

The answer to that question was painfully clear. Carlisle knew exactly what needed to be done and how he would proceed even as he tried to reject the decision. He could see the noble gesture in Edward's actions, but still he could not condone them. At great risk to his personal safety, his son had tried to help his sister avoid the consequences of her own misbehavior in the only way that he could think to do so. _By lying. _Carlisle ground his teeth at the sudden disappointment and frustration he felt with his son.

Both of his children were in need of a good firm lesson and he would have to harden his heart to deliver it.

A light knock on the study door caused him to look up as he caught the scent of his mate.

"Come in, Love."

Esme cracked the door and poked her head in. "I've decided to drive Em and Rose today. Figuring on stopping by the nursery and the jeep will be my best option. Emmett is grousing about his 'mommy' bringing him to school, but he'll just have to get over it."

"Rosalie doesn't want to take her car?"

"Overhauling the engine."

"Ah."

Esme took in Carlisle's oddly haggard appearance. "Are you going to be okay, Sweetheart? I can stay if you need me to."

"As much as I really do appreciate the offer, I can't put you through that. We'll be okay, but I figure that we will all be needing some care after this is over and done with."

His wife slipped inside the study and closed the door behind her before crossing over to her mate. Slowly she brushed her hand through his hair as he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"Carlisle, I know that they both have more than earned punishment with this nonsense, but couldn't you grant them clemency this one time? I hate to see you suffering like this. Just this once couldn't you save yourself and the children from this misery. Impose some greater restriction. Talk to Charlie Swan about having them do community service. I don't know, but there must be some easier solution."

Gently grasping her hand he pulled it towards his lips and softly kissed her silken skin as he gazed up into her rich topaz eyes.

"I really wish that there was, Love, but I fear that if I don't act now in a way they expect Edward and Alice will get the wrong message. I have been too lax here of late and it is time that I retake the helm." He gave Esme a slightly dispirited smile before continuing. "Leniency most certainly has its place, but these transgressions are intolerable. Our children knew the consequences that they would face if they were caught, but decided that their actions were worth the risk. Now it's up to me to prove those assumptions wrong so we don't end up going down this path again. They know that they deserve this."

"But do you deserve it?"

Carlisle inhaled deeply allowing his mate's scent to calm him and ease his fears before answering with a simple soft, "Yes."

"Momma, come on unless you want to be the one to make us late. It's cool with me and all, but don't be bitching when the school calls you in for a conference," Emmett boomed from downstairs.

"Saved by the bear." Carlisle gave Esme a genuine smile this time as he winked. "Go on, Sweetheart. I'll be fine as will our two rule breakers. I'll give you a call once the coast is clear. Now get on out of here before Emmett uses this as an excuse to goof off more than normal."

Cupping Esme's face between his hands, her husband pulled her toward him and kissed her deeply before sending her on her way with a light swat to her backside.

"Please leave the door open, Honey. I'll be calling Edward down in a few minutes anyway."

A quiet groan could be heard emanating from the third floor.

Esme shook her head as she exited Carlisle's study and wandered down stairs with a heavy heart as she left her other two children in their father's care.

Carlisle propped his elbows on the desk and supported his bowed head in his hands as he closed his eyes while listening to the continuing morning racket down stairs. He heard three sets of footsteps that he could easily identify milling around the kitchen for a couple of minutes before they exited into the garage. Moments later the jeep's engine roared to life and Carlisle knew that his last chance for salvation from this wretched task had just vanished with the vehicle's departure.

After several minutes of silence had passed, the patriarch eased himself out of his chair and walked to the door. As he was getting ready to call for his children to join him, he found himself struck by an uneasy thought. Exiting the office he made his way down the hall towards the stairs. Nearing Alice's room he heard soft sniffling coming from the other side of the door. Carlisle's heart seized at the forlorn sound, but bowing his head a bit the elder continued on.

Climbing to the upper landing, Carlisle found himself in front of his son's door. Filling his lungs with a deep breath he proceeded to knock gently. There were soft scuffing sounds of movement before the door was tugged open by his bronze hair boy who stood so gravely quiet just inside the threshold.

"Edward, we need to talk."

Edward swallowed hard before mildly shaking his head. "Dad, I'm sorry. I know what I did…"

Carlisle held a hand up, bringing the thoroughly rehearsed speech to a grinding halt. "We'll discuss that in a few minutes in the study. Right now I need to clarify a few things with you before we can undertake the resolution of this incident. May I come in?"

The younger man nodded and answered with a quiet, "Of course" before stepping aside to allow his father to enter.

The dignified doctor patted his son on the shoulder then walked over to the window overlooking the river. In a voice only slightly elevated above conversational level he called, "Alice, would you be so kind as to give Edward and I a little privacy, please?"

"Yes, Daddy," came the soft reply from the floor below and a moment later a radio switched on downstairs providing a distraction for his daughter with the added benefit of drowning out their voices.

Once Carlisle felt certain that his request would be honored he turned away from the serene scene on the other side of the glass and gave Edward his full attention.

Slipping a hand into his pocket, the elder released a held breath and motioned for the boy to take a seat on his lounge. While waiting for his son to comply, he very carefully chose his next words in the hopes of avoiding a battle of epic proportions that he could not afford to lose.

"Edward, I don't believe that the outcome of our upcoming discussion this morning is going to come as any great shock to either you or your sister. You both willfully broke the rules and must face the consequences. You knew this when you decided to defy me."

Edward chewed on his bottom lip as he nodded. Knowing that his father had a preference for verbal acknowledgement he quietly answered, "Yes, Sir. I know."

"Well, son I have decided to handle things a bit differently than I normally would given the circumstances and I think that it is only fair that I be upfront with you and explain why I am going to take this rather…unique… course of action."

Carlisle leaned his weight against the window casing and freed his hand to cross his arms over his chest.

_Edward, I know that it is upsetting to you to be forced to endure physical correction while others are in the house, but since you and Alice worked together in this fiasco it stands to reason that you be punished together._

Edward closed his darkening amber eyes and swallowed back the rising panic that he was beginning to feel as a groan escaped his throat. Being spanked by Carlisle was humiliating enough in its own right, but for some reason having anyone else hear what went on in the study between his father and himself multiplied that humiliation tenfold. Edward had always been sensitive and reserved, he blamed the artist in him for those qualities, and this would be certain to push the limits of his tolerance.

Before he opened his eyes to meet his father's dark gaze, Edward said a little prayer of thanks to whoever watched over him for allowing it to be Alice with whom he was in trouble. At least Alice was not one to share details with any and every one like Emmett was prone to do. Logically, the boy knew that his sister had 'seen' him punished countless times, but had never said a word. The little raven haired pixie was known for keeping her thoughts to herself unless something absolutely needed to be shared to protect another member of the family.

"It's not going to be easy to bear, but I do understand that Alice will hear. It isn't as if you can send us out on a hunt or anything of that nature while we wait our turn. I'll find some way to deal with it."

Carlisle's breath ceased for a moment and he became stone still as Edward watched him cautiously. Apparently he had said something wrong, but what?

"No, Edward. You don't quite understand." _Alice will witness your punishment._

Edward nodded. "It's not the first time, Dad. I try not to think about it like that, but there isn't much that she can do when it comes to her visions. Actually there are times that I feel sorry for Alice since I'm only too well aware of the fact that you can't 'unsee' things no matter how much you wish you could. Take Emmett and Rose the other night. That was…."

_Edward, Alice will physically be in the study with you. I am not speaking of visions here. You will witness each other's punishment._

The shocked expression of disbelief and horror on his son's face effectively broke Carlisle's heart.

"What? No wait. I know that I must have misunderstood you." The boy's brows knitted in frustration. "You can't be serious. You can't put me through that."

"I don't want to, but I feel that I have to, Son."

"Like hell you do."

Edward jumped to his feet and stalked towards the door with his hands balled up in tight fists at his sides wishing for nothing more than to increase the distance between him and his father.

"Edward, stop. I need you to listen to me. I have my reasons and I'm willing to explain myself, but you have to give me the opportunity to so. Please, Son. "

Edward clenched his jaw clearly resenting the latest turn of events, but held his tongue out of respect for Carlisle. Slowly he spun back around and turned his coal black eyes on his father to await this explanation.

"Son, please sit."

"I'll stand, thank you."

Carlisle sighed as he leaned his head back against the window and closed his eyes.

_As you wish, Edward. _"Son, I know how hard this is going to be for you. This will not be the worst physical punishment that you have endured, but it will very likely be the most difficult emotionally and it breaks my heart to do it."

"Then why?"

Opening his eyes, the elder stared steadily at his son.

_Because I need you both to learn from this experience so we never find ourselves in this position again. I know that right now you feel that I'm being overly harsh with you, but that is not my intent, Edward. I have no desire to humiliate you._

"But that is exactly what you're going to do."

_Edward. Son, I need you to do this, accept this, for me because I feel that it will drive a lesson home to Alice. She relies on her visions when making some of her less orthodox decisions. I need her to change that habit. I need for her to think about what she is doing in terms of right and wrong rather than in the mind set of 'will I get away with it?' _

Carlisle shifted his weight off the wall and took a couple of steps towards Edward.

"This is an issue that has come up in the past, but I had hoped that I had nipped it in the bud. Apparently I did not succeed as well as I had thought and now you have been caught up in one of her schemes."

Edward shook his head. "You're wrong. She knew going into this what the outcome would be. I saw what she had already seen and tried to change her mind, but she was counting on the future changing."

"That almost makes it worse." _What if the outcome wasn't punishment at my hand, but some other downfall or danger? What if she had foreseen a run in with some nomads, but decided that it was worth the risk on the outside chance that someone would change their mind and the course would be altered? How would you feel right now, if you had known that she had seen something truly dangerous and had been unable to stop her from some foolhardy path? _

_This is still a case of Alice relying on her gift instead of her common sense. I can't have that, Edward. It's just too risky._

The boy held his father's stern gaze while contemplating Carlisle's words for several moments before breaking eye contact to slowly shift his focus towards the floor.

In a quiet voice Edward muttered, "I still don't understand how this will have any bearing on things apart from making me more miserable."

Carlisle took the last few strides to stop directly in front of his son and placed his hand on the lad's shoulder.

_I want her to see, physically see, the effect her actions have on others._

"I was the one who decided to go along with the plan. It's not her fault."

"And who exactly devised this plan?"

Edward's jaw clenched tighter as he fell silent.

"Exactly," Carlisle whispered softly as he slowly exhaled."You are ultimately responsible for your own actions which is why you will be corrected, but you wouldn't be in this position at all if your sister had put a little thought into what she was embarking on. It's obvious that she knew that what she was doing was wrong since she asked you to cover for her. She knows right from wrong, but chose the wrong path anyway."

_She loves you, Edward and I truly believe that witnessing your punishment will have a much greater effect on her psyche than enduring her own. _

Placing a couple of fingers beneath the younger man's chin, Carlisle tilted Edward's head up until their eyes met.

"I know exactly what I'm asking of you. We've been together for a very long time, Edward, and I know what your limits are. That's why I wanted to explain these things to you beforehand. When the time comes I don't want to have to fight you so I'm asking you now, please allow me to do this…" _for Alice's sake._

Edward's eyes were impossibly black from stress as he looked back into his father's own darkened eyes. Carlisle wasn't kidding; this was going to be a bitch to bear for all three of them. Rubbing his forehead in frustration, the youth internally struggled before groaning softly as he indicated his acceptance with a curt nod. "For Alice's sake."

For the briefest of moments, Edward noted a glassiness to Carlisle's eyes before the elder blinked it away.

"Thank you, Edward."

"Just don't tell me that I won't regret it, because I already do."

Carlisle snaked his hand around the back of his son's neck and pulled the boy towards him until their foreheads touched. "As do I, Son."

As his father released the brief hold, Edward sloughed and shoved his hands deep in the pockets of his pants while allowing his head to droop. Without a glance at the patriarch, the boy mumbled faintly, "So are we ready to do this now?"

"Almost. There is one more thing that I would like to ask you."

The elder wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and guided him over to the lounge and sat down next to him.

"Edward, I wish to protect as much of your pride as I am capable of doing."

Edward snorted at Carlisle's preposterous comment, but kept his head down and listened.

"Son, I don't normally offer a choice, but since there is nothing normal about this…."

With his head still down, the boy raised his eyes, but skepticism shown clearly in them.

The elder placed his hand on his son's knee. "Edward, I'm giving you a choice on how you will receive your punishment. My instincts naturally want to take you over my knee, but I understand how that can deepen your embarrassment. As I have already said, that is not my desire. I want you to learn your lesson, but I don't want to stress you unduly." Carlisle tapped his son's chin to bring his head back up. "If it will help you maintain even a fraction of your dignity I will have you bend over my desk this time. This decision is entirely up to you."

Edward swallowed hard before asking the question that was searing his brain. "Bare?"

Carlisle ran a hand through his hair out of habit as he tried to maintain a sense of calm. "The level of your dishonesty would generally have earned you that, but no. Your slacks will come down, but you'll keep your boxers." The patriarch thought for a second before quickly adding, "I know that I'm not talking to Emmett, but please refrain from wearing anything that you really wouldn't want your sister to see."

The boy couldn't stop the slight smirk that curled his lips as he nodded. It was well known that Emmett had quite the collection of 'interesting' boxers and Edward could only imagine what had entertained his father over the years.

Now to the current question of the hour, Edward had to think. It most certainly made him feel every bit the naughty child when his father put him across his lap, but there was a certain amount of comfort to be gained from the contact. Still, with Alice in the room the desk offered the opportunity to at least feel more like the man he was. He would not be restrained in any real way so it would be up to him to submit and take his punishment like a man. _Good God, but that sounds much more daunting all of a sudden. _

Carlisle had already said that it wouldn't be that hard so that would make a difference. Edward would not let himself go so far as to think that he would get out of his dry eyed, but he felt certain that his father would monitor his state carefully to see to it that he wasn't forced to struggle hard to hold his position.

He would take the desk and cling to the dignity that his father was offering. There was a fragmented memory from his human life of a school day thrashing bent over with his hands flat on the principal's desk. He knew that back then it had hurt like hell, but he had bravely taken the whipping and found that he felt like a man for having survived; the awe of the other boys had helped with that feeling as well. With any luck this would have the same effect on him. Back then the principal had meant for the whipping to break him, but it did not have the desired effect. Since he was no longer a small child and his father did not wish him broken it was reasonable to deduce that this would be much more manageable.

Coming to a decision, Edward discovered that a hard lump had formed in his throat that prevented him from speaking. Coughing, he shook his head and inhaled deeply as he looked into the elder's patient eyes, but just as the words were forming he caught a brief glimpse inside of Carlisle's head that stopped him dead.

Carlisle would always strive to be fair; that was his way and they all knew that. If two or more of his children committed the same crime they could count on receiving the same punishment. What was good for the goose was good for the gander. No questions asked. No quarter given. It was a simple view of justice that had served them all quite well until this very second.

Carlisle's cocked his head slightly to the side as he watched his son. A second ago it had appeared that Edward's decision had been made, but now he looked troubled.

"Edward," he started with a soft sigh. "I wish that I could turn a blind eye to this transgression, but I simply cannot do that. What I can promise you is that I won't draw it out and once it's done none of us will revisit it again. I know that you're worried about Alice's reaction. Believe me when I say, Alice will be quite aggrieved over what transpires in the study today. She always takes the feelings of others into consideration. You have nothing to worry about if your concern is being teased or tormented. The only way that anyone will know is if you speak of this. It will never come from Alice or I and God forgive the individual who would tease you, because that person would answer to me and quickly find that the situation was no laughing matter."

Edward clearly saw an image of Emmett reflected in Carlisle's mind and shook his head slowly.

"That's not what's bothering me. Yeah, getting my behind torn up in front of my little sister is not something to look forward to, but I know that she would never mention it to anyone. If this plan of yours works, she would be horrified to even think of saying anything."

Carlisle nodded in agreement. "Then what is troubling you, Son?"

Edward's head drooped as he glanced down at his hands. "If I were to accept your offer and opt for taking this like a man instead of a child how will that affect Alice?"

The patriarch looked momentarily puzzled before it dawned on him where his son was going with his question. A slight nod confirmed what Edward already knew.

"After you and I were done, your sister will take your place."

"Over the desk."

"If that is your choice; yes."

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Edward shook his head while reconsidering his decision in light of this new information.

Seeing him chastised would be devastating enough to Alice. Denying her the comfort provided by Carlisle's more personal, if incredibly annoying, infantile method seemed almost cruel. His sister would need all the love and support that she could get and even Edward had to admit that would be more easily found over their father's lap then bent across a cold unyielding piece of furniture.

I cannot believe that I am going to say this.

Drawing a deep breath, Edward squared his shoulders and held his father's gaze. With a slow release of the air in his lungs he allowed the words to tumble out before he had a chance to change his mind and was please at the conviction that rang in his tone.

"I have enough pride that I can spare a little."

Carlisle sighed inwardly in relief as he nodded once accepting Edward's decision. _Thank you, Son. I know how much of a sacrifice you're making._

"I would do anything that I can for my sister."

"Obviously since you lied for her when you knew better."

Edward began to lower his head at the rebuke, but his father thumped him lightly beneath his jaw with his knuckle.

When the boy looked back up at his father that glassiness was back in his eyes, but he smiled before taking Edward into his arms and hugging him tightly. "I'm proud of you Edward."

Edward scoffed causing Carlisle to push him back out to arm's length.

"Seriously, Son, I am. While I admit that I'm still disappointed in your actions yesterday afternoon and last night, I am still proud that you are taking responsibility for your actions and also considering the needs of your sister before taking the easy way out."

"Carlisle, seriously, I would not call either option easy."

"No, I guess I wouldn't either."

The patriarch hugged his son once more before getting to his feet with a soft sigh. "Are you ready?"

"No," Edward replied as he followed suit and got up from the plush chair.

"Coming down with me or do you need time to change into something more…comfortable?"

Edward hooked his thumb in his waist band and tugged the edge of his navy blue boxers into view. "I think Alice bought these for me so I should be good though she might get angry with you if you wear the seat out. They are still new after all."

"I'll try to keep that in mind, Son."

Carlisle clapped Edward on the shoulder as he aimed him out the door.

As they reached the second floor, Carlisle tipped his head towards the study door. "Go on in and wait. I'm going to get Alice and we'll join you in a few seconds."

"Yes, Sir. Take all the time that you need."

"Not too much time, Edward. I want this over with as soon as possible."

The boy just nodded before slipping into the dreaded study, leaving his father standing alone in the hallway once again.

Rapping lightly on Alice's bedroom door, Carlisle called his daughter's name. When he received no response he eased the door open to spot his baby curled up with her feet tucked beneath her in the chair that he had occupied a couple of hours earlier.

"Come on, baby girl. It's time that we address these issues so we can get past them."

Alice shook her head as she stared at Carlisle with large, dark, watery eyes.

"Sweetheart, there is nothing to be frightened of. Come on with me. We don't want to keep Edward waiting." When she still didn't move Carlisle sighed. "I'm not mad any longer, Baby. I promise that you're safe."

Stepping into the room he extended his hand toward Alice only to have her shake her head again.

"Mary Alice…."

"Spank me right here in this room, Daddy. I deserve it, but don't make Edward suffer more by making me go to the study while he is there. He didn't do anything to warrant that. He deserves his privacy and you know it. You are not being fair to him."

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose hard as he felt his frustration return in full force.

"Mary Alice, Edward and I have talked this through and he has already accepted my terms. I feel that including him in my decision was more than fair. Now, come on with me, young lady. Your brother is waiting on us and this continual stalling is not in your best interest."

Carlisle offered his hand once again to help his daughter up from her perch.

Petulantly, Alice crossed her arms as she hardened her gaze while looking her father in the eye and whispered a simple soft stern, "No."

* * *

**AN: **Happy Mardi Gras, Karneval, Carnival and all the other various incarnations, my friends! I wanted to get this up and out of the way before I go off to hit the parades and other activities. **  
**

Thank all of y'all for the overwhelming support. I'm sorry if I worried you guys. I have no intention for leaving "Dark Justice" go unfinished. What I had meant to say was that if I changed direction from where I'm headed, I would end up losing interest, but since that isn't the plan we'll get to the end somehow.

I would like to thank Reading Delight for allowing me to explain myself and why I do the things I do. I still don't know that I agree about that whole "being a writer" thing, but do appreciate the kind words just the same.

I do encourage all reviews, good and bad, (trolls and flames being the exception, but what can you do?) because different opinions give me ideas and offer a more complex complete overview of the various characters. On that note, thank you all for sharing your thoughts with me. They never ever go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Special thanks to Splinter for helping to keep me from looking like a complete idiot. I don't know what I would do without her.

Now let's see how I can rescue Alice from nearly certain destruction. Hopefully since our local holiday is almost over, I'll be able to get the next up date posted quicker. Sorry for the wait, guys.


	22. Shared Consequences

"I beg your pardon?" Carlisle's voice was dangerously soft and his eyes flared before he was able to tighten the reins on his emotions. "Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock Cullen, you would be wise to correct your attitude this instant, young lady. What has gotten into you?"

"My attitude is just fine, but you, Mister would be wise to listen to me."

"Alice." Carlisle's voice carried a threatening tone as he called out her name in warning.

"Daddy." Alice returned his challenge while continuing to hold his glare with a hardened stare of her own.

Carlisle turned away from his princess for a moment while slowly counting silently in his head. This little interaction was off to a very poor start and the elder knew that he needed to find a way to head it off before he did something that could cause permanent damage to his relationship with his daughter.

Offering a quick prayer asking for strength and patience he turned back to face Alice. Her determined stance would have made him proud if it hadn't been currently directed at him. Biting the inside of his cheek he drew a calming breath before speaking quietly.

"Mary Alice, as much as you would like to believe to the contrary, you are not the one in charge here. I have made my decision and it is final. Now I am going to go join Edward in the study. I suggest that you give some serious thought to following within the next five minutes because if I have to come back in here and collect you…."

"You said that you would always listen when I have something to say. You are supposed to be fair. You told me when Jasper and I first became part of the family that this isn't a dictatorship, but more in line with being a loving family. Have you changed your mind about how the family dynamic should run?"

Carlisle could feel himself deflate at his little pixie's reprimanding speech. The air rushed from his body in a heavy sigh as he shook his head.

"No, I have not and of course you're right, baby, but sometimes I have to make decisions based on what I feel is the right course of action to take. I am responsible for the wellbeing of my family so I require the authority to make these decisions relating to its welfare without having to worry about running into opposition at every turn."

"I know you are, Daddy and I wouldn't want your job, but I still think that I deserve to be heard. Doesn't respect for each other go both ways? You expect me to listen to you so shouldn't you be willing to at least hear me out?"

Carlisle relented with a faint nod as he rubbed his forehead with one hand to ease his mounting tension. Walking over to Alice and Jasper's bed, the patriarch sat down at the foot before he settled his complete attention back on his daughter. "I'm listening, Princess, but your previous tone was quite disrespectful. You really would do well to amend that before you speak again."

Unfolding her arms, Alice got up from the chair in the corner and approached her father until she stood directly in front of him with her head slightly bowed. Glancing up at him through her thick lashes she huffed softly. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to come across as rude, but I needed to get your attention and you weren't listening to me. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?"

"To have the person that you're trying to talk to not pay attention? Yes, baby, I have some experience with that concept," Carlisle quipped with a touch of sarcasm.

Alice took her father's hands in hers as she swiftly sought the correct approach and the right things to say to make things better. She knew that she would only have one shot at saving Edward and she had to put forth her best effort.

Maintaining eye contact with the fierce predator before her, the young girl cleared her throat and began in a soft tone.

"I know that your first priority is to protect us, but in this instance your decision isn't focused on the family's welfare. It is pinpointing Edward and I directly and the things that we did wrong." Carlisle moved to speak, but was silenced by a dismissive wave of Alice's hand. "I know that everything we do has a direct effect on each other and the family as a whole. I'm not debating that fact. It would be just plain stupid to believe otherwise since we are all in this together, but the thing is it's not going to matter to anyone else how Edward is punished; it only matters that Edward is punished. They already know that he and I will be and that fact alone should be a deterrent to anyone stupid enough to think about following in our footsteps. It also proves that you care about the safety of our family since you are willing to bring us back in line before anything truly bad can happen. We all see that as an act of protection on your part and we know how hard it is for you to do."

Alice squeezed Carlisle's hand as she took a breath.

"You know as well as anyone that it's rare for any of us to get details on what goes on in the study if we aren't directly involved, so whether or not I'm in there is hardly going to matter to anyone else. It only hurts Edward more and I think he has already suffered enough. Do you know how worried he was when I wasn't back by the time he thought that I would be? I know, Daddy, because I saw him standing out on the porch just beside himself with worry, and he wasn't only worried about himself getting into trouble. He was worried about me being in trouble. That alone should be a sufficient punishment. I am certain that he has learned his lesson. There is no need to humiliate him like you are planning. That's going overboard. It's quite cruel and completely unlike you."

The soft expression in her eyes continued to plead with Carlisle to reconsider as she added in a whisper. "Edward really has suffered enough. This punishment does not fit his crime. I know that you have always tried to be fair. It would be a pity to change now."

Carlisle inhaled deeply then released the trapped air in a barely audible sigh.

Giving Alice's hands a little tug, he pulled her onto his lap and cuddled her close. Feeling her arm wrap around the back of his neck while her head burrowed against his shoulder brought a warmth to his broken heart that he hadn't even realized he had missed.

Carlisle found himself sorely tempted to give in to his daughter's request. He wanted to be lenient with his children, but he knew that he couldn't be; not this time. No matter how much it hurt him, he had to stay strong least he run into worse problems with his children later on which would require a firmer hand than now to correct.

Kissing the crown of her head, the patriarch spoke in a soft tender voice.

"Alice, I've often said that your calling was to be a defense attorney and you proved that true once again."

Sitting up and meeting her father's eyes she asked brightly, "So you've changed your mind?"

Her countenance only darkened as Carlisle shook his head.

"I have carefully considered your argument. While I agree that Edward has suffered, I disagree that the punishment doesn't fit the crime. "

Keeping one arm firmly wrapped around his princess, Carlisle reached out with his other hand to brush her hair out of her sad eyes.

"You both very willfully lied to me, Baby. You and Edward have done a fair amount of damage to the trust that I have always placed in you. That's a very serious matter as far as I'm concerned. Without trust we can no longer be a family. I have to nip this misbehavior in the bud so I can have a little assurance that you and Edward will think twice before doing anything like this ever again. Once I have confidence in that, we can start working on fully regaining that lost trust."

"I get that, but it was my idea. If you can't trust someone, let it be me instead of Edward. I already know that I'm in for one heck of a spanking. Honestly I am more than a little scared about that because I know what you have in mind, but I'm willing to take Edward's share as well as mine. Don't you think that I owe him that much for dragging him down with me?"

"And what will Edward learn from that?"

Alice dropped her head into the nook at Carlisle's neck and shoulder. "That I love him and don't want him paying for my mistakes."

"Oh for God's sake, Alice. I already know that and I'm not going to be paying for your mistake; I'm paying for mine."

Carlisle groaned at the interruption before admonishing his son lightly. "Edward, did I really need to inform you that this was to be a private conversation?"

"Sorry, Dad, but ... Alice, I don't want you feeling that it was all you. I played a part in this of my own free will. Yeah, it was your idea, but I knew that I should have said no. I just chose to go along instead because I wanted to help. We are both at fault and there is no way that you are going to take my whipping for me."

"No one is taking a whipping for anyone but themselves." Carlisle growled softly. "Edward, you will quiet down this instant. Not one more word, Son. If I have to tell you again…."

"Yes, Sir. I've got it."

Easing Alice off of his shoulder, Carlisle tipped her head up noting the tears that welled up in her eyes.

Before he could speak she muttered softly, "Are you really going to whip Edward?"

He closed his eyes to allow the darkness to help reestablish his normal calm demeanor that he felt begin to slip away. Drawing a breath Carlisle looked back at Alice while sighing inwardly.

"Has a vision shown me whipping him?"

Alice shook her head and whispered a quiet, "no."

"I have not changed my mind so that should not alter in the least. Now, if Edward feels the need to continue to act up we may have a new scenario on our hands, but for now he is getting a spanking and nothing more."

Carlisle's baby girl swallowed nervously as she lowered her dark gaze. "I'm getting a whipping."

There was absolutely no questioning tone in her statement. Alice had seen the outcome and knew what was in store for her. It was Carlisle's turn to be uncomfortable and he looked away unable to chance meeting his sad little girl's eyes.

"Daddy, I've never been…."

"I know, baby and God knows that I don't want to, but I need you to understand how very seriously I take these transgressions. My heart breaks at the thought of being harsh, but I have to do something to get through to you."

Alice was silent for a few minutes before she found the nerve to look up at her father and inquire softly as a tear trailed down her cheek. "Your Daddy's strap?"

Carlisle whipped his head around to face his daughter with abject horror reflecting in eyes as black as pitch.

"Never. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. No. Alice, Sweetheart, I would never use that on you. Never. Do you understand that? Don't even entertain that sort of idea."

Wrapping his arms around her, he drew his daughter firmly against his chest. If his heart still had the ability to beat she would surely have felt it racing; that is if it her question hadn't been the shock to stop it.

"I didn't mean to upset you. It just seemed like the most logical choice. You had told me that it could be used on me for being disrespectful, which I obviously have been."

"Baby, you would have to be horribly disrespectful and even then…." Carlisle shivered before he reeled in his shock at Alice's suggestion. "Alice, I cannot imagine you doing anything that could cause me to be that harsh with you. None of my children could ever exhibit behavior atrocious enough to warrant that. Not ever, Baby."

"I can earn it easily enough."

The words were whispered, but Carlisle heard them plainly along with the intent of the tone which carried them. Gently he released his hold and allowed his daughter to pull away from him.

"Mary Alice?" He cocked his head slightly while watching his little girl closely.

Alice's shoulders slumped as her chin touched her chest.

Grasping her chin lightly, Carlisle brought her head back up. "What has happened that I apparently have no knowledge of?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself, but I think I might have crossed the border a little into the wolves' territory. I was close to it, but I thought that I managed to stay to the outside. When I was coming back one of the wolves saw me and he acted a bit stranger than usual, but it's hard to tell with them. I tried to make it right by letting him know that it was an accident, but you know how those mutts can be."

A pained moan came from the direction of the study. "Alice, you shouldn't have said anything until you knew something for sure. I could have tapped them to see if they were going to claim that you broke the treaty. God, Alice, there was no reason to give yourself more grieve when it's possible that you didn't do anything wrong."

"Edward." Carlisle reprimanded his son softly again without breaking eye contact with his errant daughter.

"It was an accident. Honestly it was. I wouldn't go into their territory on purpose. It really reeks and they don't have anything over there that I need that badly." She wrinkled her nose at the thought of having anything at all to do with the wolves and the grounds that they called home. If the situation hadn't been potentially serious, Carlisle would have laughed.

Instead the elder sighed. "You did the right thing in telling me, Baby. At least now we can be proactive. I will send a message to Billy Black and see where the pack stands on this. I will try to explain that if there was a violation it was entirely accidental and hopefully nothing will come of it."

In response to the question that was written all over his princess's face, the patriarch shook his head. "We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Hopefully there was no harm done to the treaty, but if restitution is required to reassure the elders that there will be no re-occurrence we'll do what must be done. For now, young lady, I don't want you going near their territory and you must be more mindful of the boundaries in the future. Understand?"

"Yes, Daddy. I always do try not to be anywhere near them. I was just in a hurry to get home because…." She let her words fade.

"I understand, Sweetheart."

"What if the wolves require Alice's life to return to the status quo?"

Carlisle huffed as his frustration with his son deepened. "They are not as unreasonable as you like to think, Edward. It would never come to something like that."

"But what if it did? You put a great deal more stock in them than they deserve. They are just animals, you know?"

"We are all animals, Son. The Quileute shifters are not so different from us. All they want is for their families to live a safe and happy life which is the exact same thing that I want for us. A peaceful coexistence benefits us all."

"You didn't answer my question. What if they want Alice's life?"

"Then we will of course refuse such an outrageous demand and move. I will not fight them when there are ways to avoid conflict, but I will not lose my family. I will never allow harm to come to Alice, as you well know. I would gladly give my life to protect all of you if that is what it comes to, Edward."

The house became silent at the patriarch's sobering decree. Alice leaned her head against Carlisle's shoulder and clung tightly to him as she refused to entertain such an idea for fear that it would come true.

After several minutes had passed the elder ran his fingers through his daughter's hair while speaking softly. "You may continue to argue your point if you wish, Sweetheart, but I'm tired of this discussion having to go back and forth across the hall so we are taking it into the study."

Without a word, Alice nodded then felt herself held a little tighter against her father's chest as Carlisle stood and carried her out of her room.

_Edward, get the door, please._

As the door opened, Carlisle eased his way into the study and carried Alice to the loveseat before sitting down with her still cradled in his arms. Catching his son's eye, he gave a tilt of the head indicating that he expected Edward to sit down next to him.

Once all three were situated as comfortably as the situation allowed, the patriarch gently pushed his little girl back far enough to look into her sad dark eyes. "Alice, do you have any more to add to either your brother's defense or your confession?"

"No, Sir. I think it's time that my case rests." Shifting her gaze from Carlisle across to Edward, Alice hung her head a little before whispering, "Sorry. I tried."

Edward smirked and patted his sister's knee.

"Edward, do you have anything else to add that you feel I should know about?"

"No, Sir."

"Alright, then I would like to ask a few questions and I want honest answers from both of you."

Chucking Alice lightly beneath the jaw, Carlisle encouraged her to raise her head and look him in the eye. "Young lady, are you afraid to come talk to me?"

"No, Daddy." Her brows knitted in confusion as she cocked her head slightly to the side.

"Then why didn't you come to me and tell me that you needed to see Jasper?"

Alice broke eye contact and began to lower her head when a click of Carlisle's tongue stopped her. Taking a breath she glanced back at him steadily, but when she spoke her voice wavered slightly with nervousness.

"I couldn't tell you why I needed to go so I didn't think that you would allow me to. It's not like I deserved to go anyway or that I really thought that I could since I'm on restriction and all."

"Would it have hurt to ask?"

The pixie shook her head. "But it could have been problematic if you had said no. Then you would have known that I wanted to visit and it would have made sneaking away much more difficult."

"Do you think that I've been unreasonable? Is that why you didn't come ask? Remember, I want to hear the truth, Baby, even if you think it may hurt me. I need to know this."

"I don't think it would have been unreasonable to tell me that I couldn't go. I mean I am grounded and Jasper sorta kinda is also."

"Do you think that I was unreasonable in sending Jasper to Denali?"

Alice quickly averted her gaze and Carlisle knew that it would be a pointless struggle to get her to look at him this time.

"Maybe just a little, Daddy. I know why you did it, but it really hurts to not have him here and he is hurting really badly as well. I think it would have been better if he had his family with him to lean on while he struggled through all of the things that he is dealing with."

Carlisle closed his eyes as his heart wrenched. Struggling to draw a breath he quietly inquired, "Are Carmen and Eleazar not treating him like family? I had hoped that they would be there for him."

"Oh, they are. Jazz says that they have been more than kind to him and are trying to include him in everything, but I think he needs his real family's support most. Right now he doesn't feel like he has that." Alice swallowed before glancing back up at her father. "He thinks that he won't be welcomed back. He is afraid that he ruined things and will now forever be an outsider looking in; that he doesn't belong with us."

"That's ridiculous. I told him that he will always be a part of this family. He'll always be a son to me."

Edward shook his head. "He doesn't believe it. That has always been something that Jasper has struggled with. He looks up to you, Carlisle. He wants to be more like you, but he sees himself as weak since he doesn't believe that he will ever have full control over his impulses. That is something which frustrates him constantly."

Opening his eyes, Carlisle gave his first born a questioning look.

"It's true. I know that the notion is silly and I've told Jazzy that in the past, but he gets it in his head sometimes that he doesn't have what it takes to be a Cullen. Sending him to Denali was good in a way because it gives him a break from being beaten up by emotions all the time, but that's not how he sees it. Right now he feels like he has failed you personally and that you have had enough of dealing with him. We talked about it and I think deep down he knows that isn't the case, but he's having a really difficult time accepting the truth."

The patriarch rubbed his eyes as his children's words reinforced his worst fears. "Could I have done any worse by my son?"

"Shh." Alice cupped her father's cheek gently. "You just need to make him listen to you. We all know that he's loved, but you are going to have to prove it to him."

"I have thought about bringing him back home early, but I don't think I can do that yet."

"I don't know if that would really prove anything to Jazzy anyway. He would likely see that as you feeling guilty for kicking a stray that you still didn't want on your porch. He would view that as pity and he doesn't want anyone's pity. He's too proud for that sort of thing. Jazzy knows that he misbehaved and if you didn't hold him responsible he would think that you didn't care. He would lose some of the respect that he has for you. In his mind, he has to pay for his crime, but he needs to know that you will still be there once he has redeemed himself."

"I will be."

Edward cleared his throat to gain his father's attention. "He doesn't seem to know that. There are a few things that he is confused about. Alice tried to shine the light for him, but I'm not sure that he will honestly believe anyone but you and even that is going to be a hard sell."

Carlisle raked his free hand through his hair and sighed.

"Thank you, both. I obviously have a great deal to think about. Hopefully I can figure out a way to correct this mess I've created."

Alice shook her head while she patted Carlisle's cheek a little sharper than she intended to. "You didn't create it; Jazzy did. As his leader he is looking to you to help him correct it. It's a burden that you have to share with each other. It would crush either one of you if you try to carry it alone."

The elder rubbed his cheek to drive away the slight sting from his daughter's slap then nodded. He would find a way to work with Jasper for the betterment of his son and himself. Carlisle groaned softly as he prayed for a simple solution that he knew would not manifest.

Edward smirked slightly as he slowly rose to his feet. "Seeing as you have a great deal to think about, how about Alice and I give you a bit of privacy?"

Carlisle's onyx eyes narrowed as he gazed up at his boy.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, you put your butt right back down on that seat while you still possess the ability. We are not done here by a long shot so you might as well settle in and get comfortable."

Alice smiled and giggled softly at her brother's attempted escape while giving him a little wink to show her approval. Leave it to Edward to find a way to put the brakes on their father's slide into self-debasing blame for everything that had transpired. There was no point in placing blame. It was just a sad chain of events that they all needed to work the kinks out of so they could return to being a happy family again.

Carlisle raised a brow at his princess's amusement causing her to cough in a halfhearted attempt to cover her laughter while doing her best to appear serious.

"Something tells me that you two think this is some sort of a joke."

"No, Sir. Not at all," Edward replied as he sunk back against the leather cushions. "We know that you have been under a great deal of stress and were trying to find some way to relieve a bit of your burden. I know how much strain correcting us can put on you so I thought that maybe a postponement would be a welcome reprieve."

"I don't think so, Son. I believe we have postponed this quite long enough already."

Edward avoided his father's gaze and caught his sister's eye instead. "Well damn it all to hell, but that backfired. Can't blame a guy for trying."

Alice broke down into a fit of giggles which Carlisle effectively checked with a smart slap to her thigh. Squeaking, the little pixie popped off her father's lap and onto her feet.

Quickly following her lead, Carlisle stood and laid his hands lightly on his daughter's shoulders. It hurt him to see her cringe at his touch, but given the circumstances he couldn't really blame her. Gently the elder turned Alice towards the couch and eased her down next to Edward before taking a few steps back to face his children with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

Raising a brow, he gave Edward a pointed look. "I believe Emmett has become a very bad influence on you, Son. Do you really think it wise to take after your one sibling who has clocked the most miles over my desk and lap?"

Edward responded with a slight shrug then ducked his head to hide his cheeky smirk.

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed softly before addressing his children in a tone that drove all semblance of humor from the room.

"As much as I enjoy seeing my children pull together I don't appreciate the fact that you used that cohesiveness to deceive me. That is not what I meant when I told you to look out for one another.

Mary Alice, regardless of the reason, you snuck off of school grounds, left the state without letting your mother or I know where you were going and involved your brother to his detriment by convincing him to lie for you, all while you were on restriction. You, young lady orchestrated this entire fiasco aimed at deceiving us all when it would have been much more prudent to simply ask for permission."

"But Daddy, it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. I know that forgiveness will always be granted."

"Mary Alice, don't." Carlisle growled softly as he felt himself grow frustrated at his little girl's logic. "Believe me when I say that you are in quite enough trouble right now. Don't add to it with smart comments."

Alice lowered her head as she accepted her father's rebuke.

"Now, Little Miss, I will have you know that I talked with Edward and found out that you entered into this debacle while being fully aware of the outcome. I am told that you were hoping that the future was going to change."

Edward reached over and took hold of his sister's hand giving it a gentle squeeze of apology and support.

"Do you know what that tells me, Princess?"

Glancing up, the dark haired pixie shook her head. "No, Sir."

Carlisle drew a deep breath to calm himself. "It tells me that you didn't learn from our last discussion about abusing your gift. You made me a promise that you wouldn't do that again. You swore to me that you would make your decisions based on what you knew to be right and wrong instead of relying on your visions. You lied to me back then. Sweetheart, you cannot continue to do things that you know are wrong because a vision shows you getting away with it and it's just as bad to when you know that you'll be caught, but do it anyway. That is the reason that I feel the need to be harsher with you this time. Neither one of us can afford for there to be a next time."

Alice stared down at the floor as she tried to avoid the look of disappointment in her father's eyes.

Moving to stand in front of his mischievous daughter, Carlisle tapped her gently under the jaw. When she raised her dark venom glazed eyes to his, the patriarch sighed.

"Baby, I realize that you felt that seeing Jasper was worth the risk, even when there was very little question that this would end poorly. You accepted that you would be punished and went anyway. If you were the only one affected that would be bad enough, but your disregard for the rules caused another party to be put in a position to be injured as well."

A tear raced down her cheek as Alice turned her attention from her father and threw her arms about her brother's neck.

"I'm so sorry, Edward. I didn't want you to get into trouble; honestly I didn't. I should have left to come back like I planned and then none of this would have happened. It should only be me in trouble. Please believe me. I didn't mean for this to happen."

She wept against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. Edward gently rubbed Alice's back as he comforted her with soft words of forgiveness and understanding.

Quite suddenly Alice went silent and froze in her brother's arms. As she became animated once again, she glanced up at her father standing grim and quiet over them.

"Oh my God. That's why you're doing this to him. It's to teach me, isn't it?"

Carlisle nodded slightly.

"Daddy, please, no. You have to reconsider. I won't ever do anything like this again. I promise."

The elder's jaw tightened as he struggled with his resolve. "Baby, Edward is going to be punished for lying to me regardless so I might as well get the most out of that."

"But he wouldn't have lied if it hadn't been for me. We all know that. Please. It's all my fault."

Edward leaned over and whispered in her ear. "It's not all your fault and I will not let you take all of the blame. It's going to be alright, Alice. I know." When she looked at his serious expression she knew that he had already picked up on the vision that circled in her head. "I don't blame you at all. We just had some rotten timing." He gave her a little half smile as he brushed a tear from her cheek. "The cause was worth it, Ali and even knowing that it would lead to this, I still would have done it for you and Jasper. We're family. I would go to hell and back for you without a second thought."

Carlisle's stern expression softened as he watched the exchange between his children. "Princess, you did put him in the situation, but Edward chose to lie. He is not innocent. He will be disciplined for his part just as you will be punished for your truancy, disobedience, and deception and once it's done that's it. It will be over with and not dwelled upon."

Alice nodded then hid her face against her brother as she continued to cling to him.

Glancing into Edward's eyes, Carlisle shook his head before reaching for his daughter's hand. Gently he unfurled her fingers from her brother's shirt and eased her off the loveseat onto her feet. As he led her over toward his desk chair he looked back over his shoulder at his son. "Edward, stand please and unfasten your slacks. It's time."

Edward swallowed hard as his eyes darkened to pitch black, but drawing on his inner strength he found his feet. An odd feeling of phantom nausea roiled his stomach as he unbuckled his belt and worked the button of his pants free. _I can't believe that I have to go through with this. Well what do you expect when you decide to be a dumbass? I can do this. This is more for Alice than me, right? I can do it for my sister._

The bronze haired boy unzipped his slacks while watching his father place Alice in the chair behind his desk. It was at that moment that a thought came to Edward that caused his body to sag a bit more.

"Carlisle, do I have to stay?"

The elder gave his son a puzzled expression before realization dawned. Shaking his head he answered softly. "No. I would prefer it if you did, but I won't force you to stay."

The trill of a quiet voice rose over Carlisle's. "Edward, I would like you to stay." Alice's soft dark glassy eyes implored him. "It would make me feel a little better to have you here."

Edward watched as Carlisle closed his eyes tightly in an attempt to block the pain he suddenly felt before he kissed Alice on the forehead and stepped away. His father's misery was just as plain in his expression as it was in his thoughts even though the elder tried hard to hide it.

After a quick assessment of Alice's thoughts, Edward cocked a brow and asked, "You're not afraid of Carlisle, are you?"

"No, I could never be frightened of Daddy, but his belt is a different matter entirely. I really don't know what to expect and I'm scared that I won't be able to…." She glanced down at her hands as words suddenly failed her. "Is it as awful as it seems?"

Edward smirked a bit while his father took his seat in the center of the small couch. "It's not so bad. Hurts," he nodded, "but it doesn't last long. Dad and I will keep you safe. We would never let anything bad happen to you, Ali. That's a promise."

Alice mouthed a silent "thank you" to Edward before closing her eyes on the scene that was unfolding before her.

For his part, Carlisle was a bit more vocal. "Thank you, Son. I'm hoping that the two of you can get me through this because at the moment I am having some serious doubts." Giving his right thigh a pat, the patriarch signaled to his son that it was indeed time to begin.

Closing his eyes for a moment as he allowed the sound of his breathing to relax him as much as possible, Edward eased himself across his father's lap. _God, I hate this so much. How in the hell is it that I always eventually find myself in this position? After a freaking century you would think I might have learned to avoid it much better._

Carlisle shifted his son a bit forward which unbalanced the youth and caused him to automatically struggle.

"Calm down, Edward. Have I ever let you fall?"

Edward shook his head.

"I'm not about to start now." The elder rubbed his son's back gently as he waited for the boy to settle down.

Carlisle's son turned his face towards the back of the couch and laid his head down on his folded arms while he closed his eyes. Carefully, he reached out with his mind to push his way into his sister's. He was used to seeing himself through the eyes of others, but this time all he saw was more darkness. Alice was there in body, but she was doing her best to block her visions as well as her sight.

"Edward, what did you do to warrant this punishment?"

"I lied to my family about the whereabouts of my sister."

He felt his father's fingers grasp the waist band of his slacks and give them a gentle tug. At that cue, Edward lifted his hips slightly to help enable Carlisle to lower his pants to his knees even as a soft groan escaped his throat.

"Why is that particularly grievous. Son?" Carlisle wrapped his arm around the boy's waist and pulled him tightly against his hip as he softly voiced the question.

"I've lost your trust, but worse than that is the fact that something could have happened to Alice and by the time you got the information out of me it may have been too late to help her."

Carlisle nodded his head. "That's correct, Edward and it is never to happen again. I understand wanting to help your siblings. I also find that what you did was quite brave, but you need to stop and think about what actions are really in your brothers' or sisters' best interests. It can be very difficult to follow what you know to be right when your heart is trying to lead you in the opposite direction; I know." There was a sadness in the elder's words so heavy that it could be felt by all in the room. "The heart is easy to follow, but I need you to follow your head. That is what will make the correct decision and benefit everyone in the long run."

"I know, Dad. All I can promise is that I'll try."

"That's all I can ask, Edward."

The boy could feel his father's body shift slightly as he raised his hand. The lecture was over and Edward stiffened as he awaited the first punishing blow. Slightly he swore to himself that he would not cry out and cause Alice to suffer more.

The hand came down, but not as the boy expected. Instead of crashing against his upturned rump, it alighted gently on his shoulder and rubbed at the knotted muscle it found there. He felt Carlisle's cool breath against his ear, as his father leaned down and whispered, "You must relax, Son. I realize that that is a tall order given your current position, but if you resist it only hurts more. I don't want that. You have to let me have control and stop fighting me."

Edward knew it was true. He knew that taunt muscles had a tendency to bruise more readily and even though that fact wouldn't be reflected on his alabastrine skin, he would be certain to feel it. He took a breath as his father continued to massage the knots out of his back while waiting for him to comply.

Maybe that's what he wanted. Maybe Edward needed to feel the pain for a longer period of time. He really could have lost his sister. The chances were remote, but they were still there. It was not unreasonable to believe that the wolf whose path she crossed could have killed her. She really could have fallen into the hands of nomads and what then? When she was late in coming home, the least he could have done was bring his confession to Carlisle. Then they could have searched for her as a family. Alice was fast and tough enough to fight her own battles, but she shouldn't have to when she was part of a family who loved her and would do everything in their power to protect her. There was truly strength in numbers, but his silence had denied his sister that strength which really could have cost her life.

A tear leaked from his tightly closed eyes which he quickly brushed away. Clearing his throat of the thick venom that was beginning to block his airway, Edward whispered, "It's alright, Carlisle. I'm ready. You do have control, but I need to atone."

Carlisle sat up and with his eyes closed, he leaned his head back against the cushion for a moment as he sighed. "As you wish, Edward, but it doesn't have to be this way."

"Yes, it does."

A soft whimper from Alice and Carlisle knew that he couldn't wait Edward out any longer. He needed to put an end to this for all of their sakes.

Sticking to his original plan, the elder cupped his hand slightly to soften the blow and brought it down rapidly against the fleshiest part of his son's backside. The trapped air in his palm created the most incredible sound while lessening the sharpness of the collision. Edward winced, but Carlisle knew that was from the psychological impact of the sound instead of physical discomfort.

Carefully dancing around the mix of vicious sounding blows and mildly stinging swats, Carlisle made an impression on Edward's body while impacting the mind of both of his children. Within seconds Alice was sobbing pitifully and few sniffles were coming from the boy across his lap. The patriarch was not sure how much more his heart could take, but he pushed through his own pain with the knowledge that his son needed this. He needed to feel chasten so that he would allow himself to be forgiven.

Carlisle was aware that Edward had struggled internally to see his actions as being wrong. Even though he willingly had admitted that they were, he hadn't believe that himself. Within the last several minutes something had occurred to change that. The doctor had no clue what it was, but he had felt the change in his son as he lay over his lap. Along with the acceptance of wrongdoing came a need for penance and finally absolution which was Carlisle's duty to his son to fulfill.

What had begun as an act agreed to purely for the sake of his sister betterment had now turned into a point of contrition for Edward himself that his father would not deny him.

With tears in his eyes, Carlisle stiffened his hand and delivered a few hard punishing swats to the sensitive weight bearing area of Edward backside and was repaid for his efforts by a heart shattering mewl from his boy.

"We're almost done, Edward."

Carlisle placed a half a dozen more rapid fire strokes where they would best serve as a reminder to his errant son to mend his ways before the patriarch allowed himself to shift gears from punishing to comforting the boy.

Loosening his hold around the lad's waist, the elder gently rubbed Edward's back as he allowed his son to collect himself before moving.

"It's over, Son. It's all over. You did very well and all is forgiven."

The last strokes had taken Edward's breath away and even though he knew from his father's words that his spanking was over, the stinging pain in his backside seemed to continue to increase. When Carlisle's grip had loosened, Edward would have normally been quick to relieve himself from his embarrassing position, but this time he chose to stay put a bit longer. Wiping his tears away with the back of his hand, he sniffled softly.

As far as his father's punishments went, this one hadn't been nearly as bad as normal so why did he feel a hundred times worse right now?

Alice's soft crying broke through his reflection. Maybe that was why he felt so bad. With the thought still running in his head he swiftly drove it away. No, that wasn't it. Allowing himself to be vulnerable in front of his sister had not been as Earth shattering as he once thought it would have been. It hurt him to know that Alice was continuing to blame herself entirely for his predicament, but he would eventually fix that. He felt that his sacrifice would protect his sister in the long run as he felt certain that neither would not want to live through a repeat of this incident again. That thought actually made him feel a little proud for having been able to see this punishment through, so why did he not feel better?

The thought hit him and brought his regret crashing back down.

With his head still buried in his arms, he sniffled and drew a breath before speaking quietly. "I'm sorry."

Carlisle's gentle massaging hand stilled against his son's back for a moment as his words registered before picking back up where it had stopped.

"It is over, Edward. You have paid for your behavior and there is no reason to dwell on it. There is no need for apology. I forgive you."

"You can't trust me."

The comforting hand stilled once again and Edward reached out to search Carlisle's mind. What he found was a jumble of conflicting thoughts and emotions, but when the elder spoke again his voice was even and strong.

"I will. It might take a little time for you to earn my complete trust, but that gulf between us is already beginning to heal." Gently the elder pulled his son upright and carefully sat him on his lap, making Edward feel more like a naughty little boy than ever. Ignoring his son's discomfort for the moment, Carlisle lifted the youth's face and looked him directly in the eye. "Your lying hurts me greatly, Edward. I won't claim otherwise. It tells me that you don't trust me to do what is right by my family. Either that, or you fear me too much to trust me." Edward began to disagree, but his father placed a finger against his lips to silence him. "It's alright, Son. Lately I've done a few things that have caused me to question myself so I can't blame you for your lack of faith. If you are willing to meet me half way, we can fix everything, but I can't do it alone."

"You are never alone, Daddy and you shouldn't feel that way."

Carlisle glanced over at his little pixie princess as she wiped at the tears that continued to flow down her cheeks. With one of his arms still encircling his son's shoulders, he extended his other hand towards his daughter to invite her to join them.

Alice wasted no time in going to her father's side and curling up on the loveseat next to him tucked safely under his arm.

Fully aware of the unpleasant task that still awaited him, Carlisle closed his eyes and enjoyed a moment of respite as he held both of his children close. His family was his strength and he needed them now more than ever before. Without them he was nothing. During those times when a pair of his children would break away to pursue their own interests for a period of time, he always felt an emptiness; the same emptiness that he had been feeling all week, but which he had refused to acknowledge. The knowledge that he had caused himself to feel this was weighing heavily on the patriarch.

"Alice, I will make things right again. That's a promise." He kissed her forehead. "I forced you to defy me. I cannot tell you how sorry I am to have put you in this position."

The pixie looked up into her father's shimmering eyes. "I had a choice. You didn't force me to do anything. Everything we do is a choice. Just like you are responsible for the ones that you make, good or bad, I'm responsible for mine. There is no way that you could be blamed for what I do."

"If I hadn't sent…."

Alice reached up and placed her hand completely over Carlisle's mouth.

"Daddy, that is enough. What's done is done and there is no reason to go about beating yourself up. THAT has already been discussed. It really has a very minor bearing on why I did what I did, so just stop yourself right now, Mister because it's not going to get you anywhere."

The elder raised a brow as his eyes narrowed slightly at his daughter's tone.

"Um, Ali, you might want to watch what you say for the time being. Now, when your butt is on the block, is not the best time for that." Tapping at the hand that rested on his shoulder, Edward managed to get Carlisle to loosen his hold enough to allow him to slip off his father's lap and move a comfortable distance away as he quickly redressed.

Alice smiled slightly and took her hand away from her father's mouth while giving a little shrug. "Sorry?"

"Mary Alice, I have had enough of your sassy little attitude for one day."

"But the day is still young."

A groan slipped out before Carlisle could suppress it. With a harsh huff he pinched the bridge of his nose hard before looking back down at his impish gutsy little girl. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are that I love you?"

"YES!" Alice proclaimed brightly without a moment's hesitation. "I am the luckiest girl in the world."

Edward snorted derisively. "You won't feel that way in a few minutes."

Carlisle shot Edward a withering glare.

"What? It's not like you weren't thinking the same thing," the bronze haired youth interjected.

"Edward," the elder called in a soft tone of warning.

With the mild sting in his backside serving to reinforce his father's verbal warning, Edward decided to cut his losses. Not wishing to push his father any further past his limits, the boy quieted down as he cautiously leaned against the desk front and crossed his legs.

Satisfied with his son's compliance, Carlisle once again directed his attention towards his errant daughter.

Inhaling a lungful of air, Carlisle steeled himself before issuing his next request of his daughter.

Before he could speak, Alice eased herself away from him and moved to stand before him.

The patriarch's heart pained him greatly as he noticed how his baby quaked faintly as she remained standing there with her head bowed. He lightly brushed his thumb across her cheek which still bore the evidence of her recent tears.

"It will be okay, baby."

Alice nodded, but found that she couldn't meet his eyes.

Edward glanced over at his father as the soft sounds of rampant cursing filled the elder's head.

The next sound to break the unnatural silence was the clink of a belt buckle and the low hiss of leather slithering through fabric loops causing all three of the room's occupants to cringe. Tucking the belt behind his right hip out of view, Carlisle caught Alice's hands in his and pulled her a little closer.

"Sweetheart, do you understand why I'm doing this?"

She nodded. "I was disobedient. I got Edward into trouble and caused everyone to worry about me, because I thought that I knew what was best." Alice sniffled softly as she shifted her weight and fidgeted nervously. "I also broke a promise to you. I promised that I would not rely on my visions before deciding to do something that I already know is wrong. Even though I knew I would get caught, I still did what I wanted to do instead of what I should have done because I thought that I could find a way to change the future. That was a big mistake and I ended up letting you down."

"You could have been hurt, baby and we would have been completely in the dark until it was too late. I want you to think before you act. You know right from wrong, Mary Alice; I know that you do. Now, put that good common sense to use and let it enhance your visions. I don't want you relying on your visions to try to avoid punishment…. " Carlisle sighed as he rubbed his forehead. "No, actually I do because when you are tempted to do something wrong and you get a vision that tells you that you're going to end up in serious trouble, I want you to trust that and don't cross the line. You need to make better decisions in regards to doing what's right, but you also need to respect the consequences of your actions instead of charging ahead with your plans while hoping to change the outcome."

"I know, Daddy."

"You mean too much to all of us to put yourself at stupid risks like that, young lady. Next time you feel that you there is a dire reason for you to go somewhere, talk to me about it. That one little consideration would have made a world of difference in this outcome."

"Yes, Sir."

Carlisle lightly rubbed his thumbs over the back of his daughter's hands before he released her with a soft, "Alright, baby doll, let's bite this bullet so we can put this mess well behind us."

Alice's breath ceased as she suddenly froze. Not a muscle twitched as she stood at her father's side.

The elder reached up and gentle grasped his daughter's wrist to help ease her across his lap, but she pulled away.

"Daddy?"

"You're alright, Princess."

Alice shook her head.

"Sweetheart, it's natural to be scared, but you know that I would never harm you." Carlisle glanced over at Edward. _Son, I think Alice could use a few words of encouragement from someone who has already been there. See if you can help calm her._

Edward swallowed hard before finally nodding slightly as he slowly approached his frightened sibling. A light touch on her shoulder caused Alice to jump.

"Ali, breathe. You can do this. Remember what I told you; it does hurt, but it doesn't last. You probably won't even remember it tomorrow."

Carlisle coughed quietly.

"Well, that might be underselling it a bit. Still, it's not as bad as you think, little Sis." Edward crouched down a bit to look up into her face with a slight smile. "Nothing could be that bad."

Frightened coal black eyes stared unblinking back into his.

"Trust me?"

Alice nodded.

"Trust, Carlisle?"

Again she nodded.

"You can do this. I know that it would be easier if Jasper was here to offer comfort after, but we'll just have to do our best to give you the aftercare that you need."

The pixie blinked away a few tears as she drew a shaky breath. "Edward, are you angry with me?"

"Of course not."

Alice closed her eyes and lowered her head slightly as she unbuttoned her pants before carefully laying down over her father's knee.

Carlisle gave a slight sigh as he shifted Alice further forward and heard her whimper.

_Edward, come._ Carlisle nodded towards a spot on the floor next to the couch._ Please hold her hand. Right now I think Alice needs your forgiveness more than she needs mine and having you close will help ease her worry._

As her father's arm wrapped firmly around her waist, Alice felt a hand brush against hers. Opening her eyes the pixie's gaze fell on her brother as he knelt beside Carlisle's knee with his hand extended. Tears flooded her eyes as she slipped her tiny hand into his, while he gave her a gentle smile.

"I'm with you, Ali. There is nothing to be afraid of."

Carlisle rubbed Alice's back with a light tender touch. "Are you alright, Mary Alice?"

A little sniffle preceded a hushed, "Yes, Sir."

"Good girl." Pulling her against his hip the doctor spoke softly but with great authority. "Mary Alice Cullen, I will never again accept the behavior that you have exhibited. I expect much greater maturity from you. If you ever think of pulling a stunt like this again, bear this in mind. Baby, I promise that you will not sit for a week or more and freedom will become such a distant memory that you will wonder if it ever existed in the first place."

The only response he received was a soft whimper.

"I am going to let you off comparatively easy this one time, but don't push your luck in the future."

"I won't," she whispered sadly.

"Alright, young lady. Time to wipe the slate clean."

With tears in his eyes, Carlisle removed his hand from his little girl's back and rested it lightly on her rump as he quickly made a decision. Without further warning he raised his hand and brought it back crashing down on the seat of her thin cotton slacks. Realistically, he was well aware that the lightweight fabric offered very little protection physically, but it was his hope that they might provide a little psychological reprieve from the stern punishment.

The patriarch quickly slipped into a comfortable rhythm of hard fast strokes that ignited his daughter's rear. At first there was only the occasional grunt to cue him into the fact that his message was being received, but all too soon Alice's stoic façade began to crumple. With each soft yelp, another piece of the elder's heart was ripped from his chest and shattered into millions of irreparable shards.

_Sweet Lord, I'm only using my hand. How much harder is it going to be on both of us when I …._ Carlisle couldn't even bring himself to finish the thought, but groaned inwardly as he felt a part of his soul die.

Gritting his teeth, he continued to pepper his baby's rear with firm stinging blows. Under normal circumstances, he would have started much slower and allowed his intensity to build, but the elder was hell bent on Alice learning this lesson the first time around. While mentally castigating himself for being so rough, he quickly shifted his focus to what could have happened and what would happen if his little girl chose this path again. Wishing to avoid that at all cost, he strengthened his resolve and recommitted himself to offering his daughter a guiding hand whenever and wherever it was most needed.

Letting out a gasp at a particularly sharp blow, Alice squeezed Edward's hand tight causing him to wince.

"You're going to be okay, Ali." With his free hand, Edward reached out and gently stroked his sister's hair as he glanced up to catch his father's eye.

Without hesitation Carlisle gave his boy a quick nod before his hand halted momentarily while he reached for the damnable belt.

"It's almost over." Edward heard the wavering tone in his voice and cursed himself for it. The sight of the belt doubled over and wrapped several times around their father's hand caused his stomach to churn. An intense anger at Carlisle for putting Alice though this strapping shot through Edward, but the fair haired elder's pained expression and thoughts helped the boy hold his tongue.

"Alice, Edward's right it is almost over and hopefully you will remember this for some time to come because I never want to feel the need to do this again." Rolling his right foot up on its ball, Carlisle raised his princess's rear a bit higher and felt her shove her left hand under his thigh to steady herself while continuing to hold Edward's hand in a death grip with her right. "Baby, you need to take a breath for me."

He heard her suck in a halting breath and waited a few moments for her to exhale the unneeded air. The doctor was well aware of the calming effects of that very human activity and it was clearly what his daughter needed most right now. When she stubbornly held the breath, Carlisle could not suppress a soft sigh.

Before the elder could utter a word, Edward spoke up. "Ali, you have to exhale also. Holding your breath doesn't work as well. Believe me. I am the voice of experience here. Breathing through the pain makes it much easier to take."

Alice released her held breath and was slowly drawing another when the belt landed hard across the tender undercurve of her cheeks. The stripe of white hot fire forced the air from her lungs in the form of a pitiful howl.

The pixie instinctively jerked her hand in an attempt to get it back to protect her flaming bottom, but Edward held her firm. "Breathe, Ali. Just breathe."

The next stroke fell nearly on top of the first intensifying the sting. Alice yowled before rapidly gasping for breath while her tears freely flowed. She could not remember feeling anything quite like the searing sting that was threatening to engulf her backside. With a third stroke she began to struggle against her father's strong hold.

"Please let me go, Daddy. I promise to be good. I'll never do anything wrong ever again. I swear. Please stop."

Her words broke off in a choked sob as the unrelenting leather bit into her flesh once again.

Kicking wildly, Carlisle's baby girl used all of her strength in an attempt to twist herself off of his lap, but her father subdued her with a milder thwack of the belt across the backs of her thighs.

"Mary Alice, you are making this more difficult than needs be. I know it hurts, baby, but this level of hysterics is preposterous." Carlisle's soft voice carried a stern warning tone. "I'm going to give you a moment to collect yourself, but if you wouldn't fight me this would all be over by now."

Edward patted the back of her hand with his free one. "Ali, look at me."

When she turned her wide tearful eyes on him, Edward's heart sank and he shook his head in dismay.

_Terrified still?_

He swallowed and nodded in response to his father's silent question. With a soft moan Edward looked back up at Carlisle. "Let me take the rest for her."

"No." Alice's voice came out as a hoarse squeak.

_What are you up to, Edward?_

The boy raised his brows and tilted his head while holding his father's black penetrating gaze.

_Alright, I'll trust that you know what you're doing._

Sighing, Carlisle loosened his arm around Alice's waist enough to allow for her to get up if she wished while still preventing her from falling.

"Alright, Edward. If you're sure that's what you wish."

"No." Alice's voice was a little stronger as she rolled slightly to her side allowing her to glance over her shoulder at her father. "You can't do that. I earned this, not him."

"It's alright, Ali. As long as punishment is meted out then justice is served." Edward hung his head for a moment and muttered softly, "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but right now this isn't doing you any good." He looked up at his father. "Guess you have taught me a few things over the years, old man."

"Watch yourself, boy," Carlisle reprimanded in a quiet growl, but Edward noted a spark of amusement in his dark eyes.

Turning his attention back to his sister, Edward brushed a few tears off of her cheek. "When you panic, you can't learn the lesson that Carlisle is trying to get across. Remember, voice of experience here. You aren't even feeling the punishment. You're feeling what your mind wants you to feel which is about a thousand times worse and you will end up being afraid of Carlisle."

Alice shook her head.

"Yes, you will and it takes a while to get over that fear during which time you'll cause yourself to suffer more because you'll be too afraid to talk to him, especially if you do something wrong. You'll have to deal with the guilt of screwing up and when he finally finds out, you'll be in more trouble for trying to hide your mistake. As far as vicious cycles go, that is about one of the worst there is and I don't want to see you go through that. I'll take the strokes for you and then maybe you will see that they really aren't as bad as you thought."

Edward tugged at the hand that still crushed his fingers as he tried to get Alice up, but she refused to budge.

"No." Her voice was still shaky, but she shook her head defiantly. "I'll be okay. I can take this. I never want to be afraid of Daddy, but that might happen if I don't see this through. I broke a promise and now I have to accept the consequences instead of allowing you to help me find a way around them."

Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief and felt the tension flow out of his body.

Edward cocked a brow at his sister's declaration. "Well, if you think that's what's best."

"I know it is." Glancing back over her shoulder she whispered, "I'm ready, Daddy. I'll be good."

"I know you will be, Sweetheart."

Locking his arm around her again, Carlisle raised the belt as he listened to his daughter draw a slow deep breath.

_Thank you, Son and just so you realize, I've always trusted you and will always continue to do so._

Edward closed his eyes and gave a faint nod before turning his head away as the rapid descent of the belt drew a heart wrenching muffled sob from his sister.

* * *

**AN: **...And that is why it took so long to get it posted. Yes, I have entire stories that are shorter than this chapter. Sorry, y'all. I promise not to do this again. I was going to break it after Edward's punishment, but it just kept going. The chapter had a lot of ground to cover and was dead set on doing just that. I have lost count of how many cans of redbull went into this monster. I need an extended trip to Denali right now. I hope Eleazar and Carmen have room.

Thank each and every one of your for your comments, critiques, and words of encouragement. They mean the world to me and keep me motivated. Special thanks to Splinter, who is always in my corner and ready to lend a hand, even from her sick bed.

I have just a little more to do in Forks and then we are back off to the great white north. Talking to Alice has given Carlisle some things to think over, but he has a plan that should help him start to rebuild his relationship with Jasper. Keeping my fingers crossed. ...and now I need something sweet, frozen and alcoholic to drink. Until next time...


	23. Physician Heal Thyself

Carlisle laid on the loveseat with one arm folded beneath his head while the other rested over his eyes as the sounds of his daughter's soft whimpers continued to torture him. Alone with his thoughts, the patriarch found himself wallowing in bitter remorse for having been so harsh with Alice. While acknowledging that he had only done what was necessary, Carlisle found it impossible to take any comfort in that fact. It was true that his baby girl could not be allowed to take the risks that she had done nor could he make concessions for her disobedience. Any other member of their family would have been punished just as severely and it would have been unfair to treat his princess any differently. Alice had more than earned her punishment and now he could only pray that the lesson was well taught and would never need to be repeated. Should they ever have to broach the same subject again, Carlisle was certain that the sequential punishment would completely destroy him.

It had only taken a couple more strokes from his belt before his baby gave in and Carlisle was able to end the hard painful punishment, but by then his little pixie had become inconsolable. He allowed her to cry for a while over his knee as he and Edward both worked to soothe her, but it was all for naught. It appeared that something vital had broken within his sweet little girl; something that the elder found himself woefully incompetent to repair. His soft words seemed only capable of fueling his daughter's despair further; crushing his heart in the process.

Eventually, with a little help from his son, Carlisle managed to ease his little one up to sit carefully on his lap. As he held her close, Alice continued to weep while she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Every tear that soaked into the fabric of his shirt destroyed a piece of his heart and ravaged his tortured soul. Alice clung to him like one would cling to a life raft in the middle of dark stormy seas; her hands gripping his shirt so tightly that the fabric was torn.

A helpless feeling came over the elder as he found that the methods of comfort he had always relied upon were failing him miserably with regards to his precious baby girl. Not knowing what else to do, he continued to whisper words of forgiveness, praise and encouragement while rubbing her back in gentle hypnotizing circles. Placing a gentle kiss to the crown of her head, Carlisle reaffirmed his love for his daughter through softly whispered words as he brushed her dark hair out of her tear streaked face.

Had he hurt her that badly?

In his confused and worried state a comment made once by his mate a very long time ago when she had been the one over his knee came back to haunt him. It was a remark about the difference between the resiliency of the male and female derrière. "Our heinies are much more sensitive," his pirating wife had informed him as she sought leniency from the fruits of her escapades. Carlisle had scoffed at the time knowing full well that Esme was trying to play him, but now he didn't feel so self-assured. While the physician knew that such a difference was completely unfounded, as the father of a despondent daughter, he allowed himself to question the validity of biological science and the multitude of anatomy courses he had taken.

"Are you hurt, Sweetheart?"

Without raising her head from its resting place against her father's shoulder, Alice nodded at first before violently shaking her head. Pressing herself more firmly against Carlisle's body, the distraught girl hiccuped softly in his ear. "Sore. Hurting. Not hurt."

Carlisle closed his eyes and gave a sigh of relief.

In the end when her crying had finally quieted to soft sobs, the elder carried his baby back to her room and laid her gently on her bed. His son's quick thinking gave Alice her first bit of true solace in the form of an old quilt that was saturated with her mate's scent. Carefully wrapping it around her, Edward couldn't help but smile as he watched Alice's thoughts finally shift to peaceful memories of Jasper.

The boy kissed his sister's cheek and brushed back her hair before he noted her thoughts darkening again.

"Don't, Ali. It's over." He arched his brows as he gazed into her onyx eyes. "Don't think on it anymore. Do you hear what I'm telling you?"

Alice nodded and gave her brother a hug before sinking back against the pillows.

"Rest, Princess." Carlisle bent down and kissed her forehead before giving her a light smile. "Just relax for a bit, Sweetheart. It will help you recover faster."

With a final ruffle of her spiky hair, Carlisle turned and slipped his arm over Edward's shoulders to lead the boy towards the door and give Alice some privacy. He had only taken a couple of steps before a distressed squeak caused him to stop and turn back.

Alice stared up at him through dark tearful eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"What is it, baby? What's wrong?" _Apart from the obvious. _

Edward's snort drew his father's attention for a moment as he glanced at the boy and quickly shook his head before returning to his daughter's side.

"Daddy, don't leave me." Alice's voice was so quiet that Carlisle had to strain to hear her plea.

"Oh, sweetheart." Carlisle sat down on the bed and gently brushed a teardrop from his daughter's cheek as he cleared the hard lump that suddenly formed in his throat. "Are you sure that you want me with you right now? Don't you think that Edward would make for a better companion."

"I need you."

Tears stung Carlisle's eyes as he lay down next to Alice and wrapped her tightly in his protective embrace prompting her to curl up against his chest. She sniffled quietly and much to the patriarch's dismay more tears rolled down her cheeks.

Carlisle cooed to his daughter as he caught his son's eye. _Edward, would you please go get my phone off the desk and text your mother? Let her know that she is needed back home. _

Edward nodded once and slipped out the door knowing that his sister was in good hands and trusting in time to heal her wounds.

Filling his lungs with useless but relaxing air, Carlisle drew himself out of his thoughts and back to the present as he caught the soothing scent of his mate. Oh how he longed for Esme's reassurance right now, but his loving wife was currently engaged in comforting their daughter and Alice needed her more than he did.

Carlisle allowed a soft sigh to escape his lips as he thought about his shortsightedness. When he was deciding on his baby's punishment, the patriarch had found himself relieved that her mate was far away. The last thing that Carlisle had wanted to face was Jasper's protective wrath, but now he longed for it as his son's presence would mean more comfort for his pixie princess. Currently stripped of her mate's loving support, the elder feared that Alice would be much slower to recover from her chastisement than ever before.

With a groan, Carlisle rolled over on his side as he wrapped his arms around himself for comfort.

_Thank God for Edward and that damn quilt. Without those two to comfort her, I don't know what would have happened to my sweet baby girl. _Carlisle closed his eyes as he hugged himself tighter. _I should not have been so severe and inflexible. I shouldn't have used my belt at all. I knew better, but I didn't listen. This is Alice; sweet, sensitive, eager to please Alice. She must see me as a monster. How could she not? If I've destroyed my baby's carefree spirit I won't be able to live with myself. Good Lord, how many mistakes can one man make in such a short period of time?_ _I know that I'm a flawed being, but must my family suffer for my deficiencies?_

"Carlisle, stop that this instant."

Glancing up, the patriarch locked eyes with his mate as she leaned against the door frame with her hands on her hips. He had not heard the door open and now he found himself wondering just how long she had been standing there.

"Esme, you should be with Alice. Our daughter needs her mother right now."

"My husband needs me right now because he is mired in self-depreciative thoughts which I'm not going to tolerate any longer."

Lowering his eyes, Carlisle mumbled softly, "I'm fine, Esme. I just need time to think."

Crossing the room with a slow easy stride, Esme knelt down on the floor next to her mate and ran a hand through his thick hair.

Drawing a deep breath, Carlisle gazed over at her, but remained silent.

"Carlisle Cullen, I know you better than you know yourself," she stated in a firm yet gentle tone. "You have been thinking far too much lately and I do not approve of the direction that your train of thought has been traveling. Now instead of thinking, you are going to do a little listening. Yes, you were hard on Alice, but it was no more than she deserved. She doesn't blame you for punishing her and I won't have you blaming yourself. You did not make our little pixie run off to Alaska. It's not your fault that she ended up in trouble and put you in a position where you had no option left, but to act."

"That's where you're wrong, Esme. It is my fault that our baby ended up misbehaving. I set her up in such a way that it was her only option." He grounded his teeth in frustration with himself and the part he played in the entire fiasco.

"You know that's not true. You just don't want to believe that your baby is capable of that sort of misbehavior so you would rather take the blame for it yourself."

He opened his mouth as if to speak then closed it again as he turned his head away.

"Oh, no you don't." Esme cupped his cheek and turned him back to face her. "You will show me the same respect that you demand of others. Look at me when I am speaking to you, Carlisle."

Something suddenly caught Esme attention and she gripped her mate's jaw more firmly. The matriarch narrowed her eyes slightly as she tilted her husband's head from left to right and back again while examining his features critically.

"You need to feed."

"I'm fine."

"You have endured far too much stress to be fine, Carlisle. Your eyes are not quite black, but they are a far cry from golden. I'll give you an hour to rest and then you are going to take your children out on a hunt. Not a single one of you is in decent shape at the moment and at least quenching your thirst will help set your feet on the road to recovery."

"Alice and Edward are only allowed to hunt with supervision so you'll have to go with them. I'll stay here, love. They don't need …."

"Carlisle," Esme growled in a tone that her mate recognized as the one she reserved solely for correcting the children. "You will go and you will allow your children to decide on what they do and do not need."

Carlisle wanted to protest more, but the determination in his wife's eyes told him that he was already fighting a losing battle. With a long low sigh he conceded defeat.

"Good. Now that that's settled, let's discuss your intolerable behavior of late."

The doctor frowned slightly at his loving wife's not so gentle words.

"Carlisle Cullen, from this moment forth, if any of the children find that you are doubting or worse yet, castigating yourself, they will come to me and I will correct that issue. Both Edward and Alice told me that earlier you were back to your old self, but as soon as you finished correcting their behavior you reverted to doubting your actions all over again."

"They can't know that."

"Sweetheart. Really?" Esme sounded exasperated and she raised a brow while watching her mate closely.

Suddenly his eyes narrowed as he hissed softly. "Edward."

"Is under direction from me to monitor you."

The patriarch was aghast at his mate's statement.

"If you won't talk to me about what's troubling you, I have to use whatever options are available to me. Edward was kind enough to offer his services because he's worried about you and you should be grateful that he cares so much."

With his arms still crossed over his chest, Carlisle bit his bottom lip and huffed looking for all the world like an obstinate little boy which caused his mate to grin broadly.

"It's for your own good, Carlisle and don't block your son either. I won't have you feeding him gibberish or worse in an attempt to keep him in the dark."

"So I'm on something akin to a suicide watch? Is that it?"

"No, you are being monitored until you decide to cooperate and open up to us. You can have your privacy back any time you wish, all you have to do is talk to me."

Carlisle held his breath for a moment before slowly exhaling. "I've made a mistake, Esme and I'm not sure how to fix it. That is all there is to this great conspiracy that you and the children think I have cooked up."

"What mistake?" Esme shifted from her knees to sit down on the floor and looked up at her lover with an expression of patient impartial curiosity.

"Sending Jasper to Denali." He closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts before staring back into his lover's eyes. "I've made my boy feel unwanted. He sees himself as a stranger in his own home and I don't know how to repair the damage that I've caused to him and our relationship."

"I take it that this information came from your talk with Alice?"

Carlisle nodded. "And Edward. Edward said that Jasper imagines himself weak because it is so much harder for him to control himself than it is for the rest of us. I don't understand it, Esme. Given the circumstances in which he entered this life and the short amount of time that he has adopted our lifestyle, I think Jasper shows a great deal of control. He is easily the most mature minded of our children. I respect his wisdom and I'm humbled that he and Alice sought us out to become members of our family. I can learn as much if not more from Jasper than I can ever hope to teach him myself. Even though he has always been reserved he still freely shares his knowledge and if there ever comes a time that our family needs to be defended, I can't think of anyone that I would trust with that task more than our proud solider boy. If anything would ever happen to me I would trust him to protect you from any and all harm. I don't want to lose him, Esme, but what if it's too late? What if I have already driven him away?"

Esme allowed her mate to express his concerns without interruption and as he grew silent she gave a small sigh which apparently spurred him on.

"What are you thinking, my love? Do you think that I've been a pompous ass? Did I allow my arrogance to overshadow common sense and the counsel of my wife and children? I mean obviously, had I listened to you and Alice we would not be in this predicament. Jasper would still be home and we would still be a true family. Right now I fear that I have destroyed what I wanted most in this entire world through my bullheadedness and just plain ignorance."

His hand shot out and grasped his mate's hand tightly as he gazed deeply into her bright eyes.

"Please tell me what you're thinking at this moment. I know that it is too little, too late, but I swear to you that I'm ready to listen. I beg you; save me, A Stór, because I doubt that anyone else can."

There was no judgment in the gentle amber eyes that watched him so intently. He had expected, at the very least, a strong rebuke for his lack of thought and faith in his family, but found not a shred of condemnation in his mate's beautiful face.

Without breaking the connection of his hold on her hand, Esme left her seat on the floor to relocate next to her mate on the sofa. As she sat next to his prone figure, she ran her free hand slowly along his jaw and up through his hair. Carlisle closed his eyes and allowed himself to take comfort in his wife's gentle caress.

Leaning over him, Esme kissed her haggard mate's cheek then whispered in his ear, "Physician, heal thyself."

Pulling away she could clearly see the confusion in her lover's ebony eyes, but instead of offering clarification she raised a questioning brow. Now that she finally had him talking, Esme was determined to keep him that way and her best bet was to make him think instead of just offering him easy answers.

"I…I can't. That is the problem, grá mo chroí. I have tried to heal myself but it is to no avail. All I end up doing is compounding my mistakes and now I feel like I have backed myself up in a corner. I feel a deep seeded need to defend myself, but I don't honestly know what I'm actually trying to defend against."

Brushing her hand through his hair in a relaxing manner, Esme softly countered, "You aren't trying to defend yourself, Carlisle. You wish to defend your decision. There is a difference my love, but also know that there is no need for this defensiveness."

" Of course you're right, Esme. There is no reason to waste the effort to defend a poor choice. It is simply something that I have to own up to and accept the consequence for even if those consequences include the loss of my son."

The dark haired beauty at his side shook her head in sad frustration. Gripping his chin firmly, Esme fixed her mate with a stern stare. "Physician. Heal. Thyself."

"I've already told you…."

"No, Carlisle. That is the problem. You keep telling instead of listening. Sweetheart, listen to this." She patted his chest in the vicinity of his heart. "You have asked me questions that you already know the answers to. Do you really need me to be the one to answer them?"

The patriarch's brow knitted as he mulled over his mate's question.

"Love, you cannot dictate how Jasper feels. You can continue to provide him with support, advice and guidance, but what he does with that and how he reacts is out of your hands." Esme breathed a sigh. "I made it very clear to you that I wasn't in favor of your choice of punishment, but you asked me to trust you and I have. You were so certain that this separation was in Jasper's best interest that I refuse to believe it was a mistake. I know it was a hard decision for you to come to. I'm certain that it's been extremely difficult on Jasper and Alice and it has put a strain on our family as a whole, but I have confidence in you, Carlisle. We, your children and I along with Jasper, are all willing to suffer through this because we believe that in the long run it is for the greater good."

"What if it's not? What if I'm actually entirely off the mark and have been leading my family astray?"

"You need to cease with this self-debasement." Esme reprimanded sharply before giving his hand a light squeeze. "It's gone on long enough. It's natural to question yourself, Carlisle, but you take this lambasting too far. What is the advice that you have given our children countless times when they make mistakes and don't know what to do to correct their errors?"

"Esme…."

"It's a simple question, Carlisle."

He huffed quietly as his jaw tightened, but he answered in his normal soft gentle tone. "Admit the mistake, apologize, try to make amends whenever possible, strive to not repeat the same mistake again and then let it go."

"See that wasn't so difficult was it?." Esme patted her husband's cheek as she gave him an encouraging smile. "Are you going to allow Alice and Edward to belittle and berate themselves over what happened yesterday? Would you allow that in any of the children regardless of the magnitude of the offense?"

Carlisle glanced away from his mate as he found her inquiry distressing, but a soft "Carlisle?" brought his gaze back to her loving face. Slowly drawing a breath, he finally shook his head before murmuring quietly, "Of course not."

"Then you understand that we are not going put up with this behavior from you for a moment longer. Guilt is fine, love, but the Cliffs of Moher will crumble and crash into the sea before I let you destroy yourself with it."

Esme carefully studied her mate as he glanced away for a few seconds with the ghost of a smile lightening his features.

"Yes, lover, I know what it means when you say it so you should understand the seriousness and strength of my conviction."

Carlisle nodded once and his smile faded as he once again turned his attention to his wife. "I never thought that my words would come back to haunt me," he admitted quietly with a brief snicker.

Esme graced him with a gentle smile. "Something had to get through that hard stubborn head."

The patriarch felt his spirit lift and for the first time in days he genuinely smiled, but his amusement quickly faded as he watched a determined sadness taint his mate's eyes.

"Carlisle, I don't ever want to feel like I'm left with no other choice, but I will correct you if that's what it takes to relieve you of your guilt. I will do for you what you did for Alice."

Esme noted as an expression of shock race across her husband's features before it was quickly replaced by the appearance of hope in his eyes.

"Then she is alright. When her tears wouldn't stop…."

His mate placed her fingers against his lips as she shushed him.

"Alice is fine. When I left she and Edward were starting to tease each other." Esme cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "You know, I do believe that the girls are completely correct. You don't give them nearly enough credit, Carlisle. They are much stronger than you allow yourself to believe. Alice may not recover quite as quickly as Emmett, but she's not that far behind."

"It would have been better if she had Jasper to console her," he whispered mainly to himself as he averted his eyes.

"Carlisle Cullen, are you really going to make me repeat myself? Am I going to have to follow through on that promise and take your stubborn ass over my knee right now with children in this house?"

Carlisle drew back as far as the restrictive couch would let him as his eyes widened at his mate's threat. "No. That's perfectly alright, Esme. No correction is necessary."

Muffled laughter reached the leader's sensitive ears drawing a growl from deep within him.

"Carlisle." Esme called out his name in a sharp warning tone which snapped his attention back to his wife. "You let them be."

Swallowing hard he nodded in agreement.

"Naturally Jasper would be best for Alice, but the partners in crime have done a perfectly fine job of consoling each other. I also know that Alice will get plenty of support from Rose and Em once they get home. That's another place where you don't give the credit that is due. They may fight like cats and dogs, a fact that the house can certainly attest to." Esme rolled her eyes as she found herself flooded with memories of just how destructive five teens could be. "But our fearless five always come together to support one another. They are much more than a gathering of mated pairs. Our children are true siblings in every sense of the word. There is not a thing that they can't overcome when they pull together. Alice has a great deal of support. She is fine."

While her mate remained silent, gratitude and understanding reflected in the depths of his dark eyes.

Esme waited a few moments to let her husband enjoy his moment of reprieve before continuing.

"Now, let's get back to what started this conversation. Honey, answer this for me. Am I really the one to whom you should be asking your questions? Can I honestly tell you what to do to make things right between you and Jasper? I will tell you that no, I don't believe that you have been an arrogant ass, but is it my opinion that really matters here? Do I think you were wrong to send Jasper away?" Esme thought for a moment then sighed softly. "Well, I've already answered that question, but is my response the one that matters most?"

Carlisle scowled before lowering his head slightly to catch the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger while giving a little groan. With her mate's signals of distress shining a bright beacon, Esme pressed on with her final inquiry.

"Carlisle." She slapped the back of his hand causing him to lower it away from his face and meet her eyes. "Who should be answering these questions for you?"

"What if he refuses to see me, let alone talk to me?"

"Then you will know that you have given him too much credit with regard to his maturity, but I don't believe there is any chance in that being the case."

"But if it is?"

Esme released her frustration through a slow deep sigh.

"You will be disappointed in our son, as will I, but you will continue to love him and work with him at his own pace until he comes around."

Carlisle looked away from his mate only to have her lightly tap his cheek to regain his complete attention.

"Sweetheart, you can sit here all day and night pondering what will happen and nothing will change, or you can make up your mind to talk to your son. Even if he won't talk to you at least you will know that you are doing everything in your power to meet him halfway. Keep in mind that even if you extend your hand there is no guarantee that he will take it, but at least you can take solace in knowing that you have tried and will keep trying.

I've never known you to give up on anything, Carlisle Cullen, certainly not one of the children, so don't start now."

His resigning sigh signaled her victory and brought a faint smile to his wife's lips.

"Alright, Esme, I'll talk to my son. I had actually already planned on going to Denali this weekend to bring him his phone. I wanted to take Alice with me, but after all that has happened I think it will be better if I go alone. Besides," the patriarch raised his voice slightly. "After her impromptu trip, I don't believe that my little girl and her cohort will be going anywhere anytime soon since an extra two weeks has been added to their month of grounding."

Where there had been laughter moments ago, now the sounds of groaning drifted through the house bringing a wicked grin to Carlisle's face.

Chuckling softly, the leader whispered to his mate. "I would like for everyone to go up to Denali the following weekend. I think reuniting with his family will be good for Jasper. Hopefully lift his spirits and make him realize how much he is loved by all."

"I think that's a wise decision, Carlisle," Esme responded at a conversational volume stirring a new round of disappointed grumbling and exasperated sighs from the two miscreants across the hall as they realized that their mother was not going to argue for leniency this time.

"I know that was just cruel," the patriarch mouthed with a gleam in his eye.

"But oh so much fun," his mate whispered back before placing her hand over her mouth to suppress her laughter.

Pulling Esme down to lay next to him, Carlisle wrapped his mate in his arms. With her back pressed firmly against his chest, he brushed her hair away and kissed the nape of her neck before whispering, "I don't know what in the world would I do without you, Mrs. Cullen?"

"Then, Good Doctor, it would seem that you are very lucky because I'm not going anywhere."

Inhaling his wife's intoxicating scent, Carlisle felt himself completely relax for the first time in what felt like forever. The patriarch closed his eyes and allowed her radiant love to fill him with warmth and chase away the toxic remnants of doubt that had vexed him all week.

"I'll call the hospital in the morning. I have some vacation time that HR has been on me to take anyway. Do you think Carmen will be willing to put up with having an extra Cullen boy underfoot for a week?"

Esme's light laughter filled the room. "I'm certain that Carmen will be thrilled to take in another one of my troubled boys, but you had better behave yourself while you're there, young man. One poor report about your behavior and we will be having quite the discussion when you return."

"Yes, mother." Carlisle grinned as he nuzzled her neck. "I'll be sure to mind my p's and q's."

His mate rolled around in his arms until they were face to face and gave him a stern look. "Don't you get smart with me, little Mister."

"I would never dream of doing such a thing," he answered her accusation with feigned wide-eyed shock.

"Mhm." Esme raised a brow as an incredulous expression darkened her golden eyes.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"Carlisle Cullen, I do believe that your nose is growing."

With a devilish glint in his eyes, Carlisle gave his wife a mischievous grin. "That, my dearest, is most certainly not my nose."

"CARLISLE!"

* * *

**AN: **And we are off to Denali! Thank God for Esme and her ability to keep Carlisle in line. Now I have to see how Jasper reacts to his coven leader showing up unannounced. My gut feeling is "not well." Of course with the boy being in all of his ruby eyed glory he is not going to be excited to see Carlisle even if they were on good terms.

As always, thanks for all of y'all's comments and support. They always make my day. Special thanks to Splinter for once again loaning me her mad proofing skills. ;-) And a word of thanks to edwardian1901 for allowing me to nab a Carlisle memory from her wonderful tale, "Esme the Artful Dodger." If you guys haven't read it, do yourselves a favor and check it out. It's hysterical. Let it be known that Capt. Jack Sparrow cannot hold a candle to our new born Esme Cullen when it comes to piracy.


	24. Doing What's Right

"Jasper. No, no, no. Bebé, don't kick the wheel so... ¡Oye!"

Carmen ducked in the nick of time to avoid the clay projectile that flew towards her before finally slamming into the wall. With a touch of dismay, she watched as the sticky wet mass slowly slid a short distance down the pale painted surface until it fell away with a plop onto the terra cotta tiled floor of her craft room.

"Oh my God! Carmen, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Jasper shot off his stool and was quickly at her side.

The Spanish beauty's breath came out in a soft huff as she surveyed the mess, but a glance at the tense boy and her heart melted and she gave him a gentle smile. "No harm done, Corazón."

With a glance back at the muddy streak she added softly. "At least not that can't be easily remedied."

"I'll clean it up." The honey haired youth quickly offered while scooping up the clay and tossing it back onto the turn table clearly embarrassed by his blunder. "It was just a stupid accident. I wasn't paying close enough attention to what I was doing. I really never meant..."

"Hush now. These things happen sometimes. There is no need to fret, but next time don't spin the wheel quite so quickly. Remember it is designed to work for a human so a vampire's pace is too fast for the poor thing to keep up with."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll keep that in mind." He muttered softly before dashing out of the workroom to collect some cleaner for the wall as well as a mop for the floor.

Carmen watched him rush off and shook her head in amused dismay.

Ever since yesterday's tantrum, Jasper had been extremely polite and attentive, going well out of his way to spend time with both her and her mate as though he were trying to make amends for his behavior. Try as she might, Carmen could not get Jasper to understand that he really had nothing to atone for. An accident had occurred and he had naturally been upset. She felt a little hurt that he had tried to hide the truth since it meant that he didn't trust them, but that was something else that she really couldn't fault him for.

He was already nervous about having been sent to stay with her and her mate so he naturally feared their reaction. Jasper had been confident that they were going to reject him, which was something that boggled her mind. Carmen could never imagine Carlisle and Esme being angry with their son for a simple mistake so she really didn't know where his reaction was coming from until after their talk yesterday.

It had never occurred to her that the young solider saw himself as having been discarded by his family. Eleazar had explained the situation as he understood it before they had agreed to shelter the boy for Carlisle. Jasper had been having some issues with his temper which was something that had to be suppressed when one lived so closely with humans. The logical solution was to eliminate the source of the young man's frustration, but since the human could not be removed, the decision had been made to get Jasper away from him for a period of time to allow the youth a chance to regain his self-control. To Carmen there was sense in that solution. She found their home and the surrounding forest relaxing, so she couldn't imagine it not having a tranquilizing effect on Carlisle and Esme's stressed son.

She had been so elated at having him stay with them that she hadn't noticed his irritation with his father when they arrived, but last night when she thought back to his arrival she recalled the signs. Due in a large part to his ability, she had sensed his sadness though at the time she had assumed that had to do with the simple fact that his mate had stayed behind. While that still factored in, since the boy had opened up to them she now understood that it was fear of his family's rejection that fueled his depression.

Even when he claimed to not want to be part of Carlisle's family, she had felt his emotions refuting that stance. The three of them had sat together and talked for many more hours and at each mention of the Cullen leader, Jasper would grow angry, but Carmen would feel the boy's underlining anguish and it broke her heart. It had always puzzled her why anger was easier to bear than sorrow, yet this seemed to hold true for her young guest.

There had been a minor break in the boy's anger with his father when Eleazar related a story about a clash between Carlisle and Caius back during the coven leader's days with the Volturi. Through the ghastly tale Jasper began to realize that he shared a bit more in common with the elder Cullen than he originally thought.

Carlisle had championed a young lad to whom the eldest of the brothers had taken a particular interest in. Caius had always been fond of playing with his food and would often hold back a choice morsel which he would torture for days claiming that it sweetened the blood before finally reluctantly ending the human's suffering.

"When Heidi returned with her catch that day, a boy of no more than ten years was in her haul. He was a handsome lad with sun kissed light brown skin, raven hair and the most unusual bright green eyes. Naturally he caught Caius's attention immediately and was cut from the herd. Chained to the brother's throne, the child was made to watch as his parents were viciously slaughtered."

Eleazar clicked his tongue before muttering several Spanish curses under his breath as the vision replayed through his flawless memory.

"The boy suffered two days of mental and physical torment before Carlisle finally managed to break him free. He hid the lad in his chambers and tended to his wounds as best as his newly developing medical skills would allow. He masked the boy's scent with an odorous wall of chemicals that he used in his studies, but since he had been unable to get the boy out of the castle it was only a matter of time before his deception was discovered.

Caius called for Carlisle's execution citing treason as his reasoning, but luckily Aro still found Carlisle's strange ways captivating and wouldn't allow his pet to be destroyed. He and Marcus out voted Caius and this became one of the few times that it is said the Volturi showed mercy." Eleazar spat in disgust before drawing a deep breath to continue. "They took his right hand."

The Spaniard looked the solider in the eye as he allowed his words to hang in the air. A pained expression crossed Jasper's face, but he remained quiet as he clung to Eleazar's every word. "Caius deemed it a mild punishment for a thief and would have had the appendage burned had Marcus not intervened.

As you well know, very little moves the apathetic brother, but Carlisle's intense desire to learn somehow managed to draw him out. The inquisitive youth would sit at the raven haired brother's feet and absorb all of the history and accumulated knowledge that the ancient one would share with him. Conversely he would share his latest discoveries in the ever evolving world of science with Marcus. The ancient leader eventually became mesmerized by Carlisle's passion for the healing arts. In a passive way of course, but that interest is the only reason that Carlisle still retains his hand today."

Jasper tipped his head to the side in thought before uttering quietly, "I've had limbs ripped off as punishment for my failures. It's no picnic, but I'm a bit surprised that Caius went so easy."

With a soft grunt the Spaniard scoffed at the youth's comment.

"Easy and Caius are two words that should never be place together. The hand was only the start. The Guard was gathered and Carlisle was stripped and beaten mercilessly as a warning to us all. Caius wielded the sjambok so hard and fast that your fath..." An apologetic look shown in older man's eyes as he cleared his throat before quickly amending his words. "That your coven leader's body could no longer heal itself fast enough to keep up with the damage being inflicted. His back was laid open and his shoulder blade broken. He was sticky with the venom that oozed from his wounds as it tried in vain to heal the grisly devastation that befell him. "

Eleazar closed his eyes and groaned as the memory became too hard to visualize.

"I had never known a vampire to physically weaken nor have I seen it happen since, but apparently the loss of so much venom caused Carlisle knees to buckle. Weakened he fell face first to the floor at Caius's feet. Myself and several others hoped that would signal the end of the horrific display, but Felix grabbed a handful of hair and hauled Carlisle back up to his feet. The beating continued until Caius's anger was spent and his victim lay curled up and broken on the marble palazzo floor.

It took several days before Carlisle was able to move without assistance and even then he was stiff and didn't have use of his shoulder. I am certain that he must still carry scars on both body and soul from that altercation. I know for a fact that it has been seared in the minds of every member of the Guard that was present on that terrible day."

An intense rage washed over the elder couple as Jasper's hands curled into fists and he grounded his teeth in frustration.

Carmen softly ran a hand over the youth's back as she cooed in his ear. "Relax, Bebé. That was a very long time ago."

Seemingly ignoring her comforting, Jasper growled through his gritted teeth. "What happened to the boy?"

The elder bowed his head slightly as his attention turned to his hands. "He did not survive. An unexplained merciful death found him before he could be returned to Caius."

Jasper's eyes widened. "Who?"

"You must understand, there was no other choice, Jasper. It had to be done. The boy witnessed too much to be safely released. There was no way that he could be allowed to live. The best that could be offered the little lad was a pain free death which was certainly not something that he would have received at Caius's hands."

"Who took the child's life?"

"An herbal elixir was given to him to help relax his body and ease his suffering. In the same way that modern anesthesia works, a slightly higher dose and his heart ceased to function. He would never know pain again and our secret remained safe."

"Carlisle," he gasped in stunned comprehension.

Eleazar nodded before returning his gaze to the boy's face. "I've always believed that was why he never fought the Guard when they came for him. The same reason that he didn't offer a single moment of resistance when his sentence was announced and carried out.

Doing the right thing is not always as easy as it should be; sometimes it can be quite painful. Your leader has been haunted by the memory of that child for centuries. I'm not even sure that he has shared this pain with Esme so I would ask you to keep this between the three of us.

He wanted to die that day, Jasper. It was only by the grace of Aro and Marcus that he didn't and I don't think he has ever forgiven them for that."

Jasper was silent, but sitting next to him Carmen could feel the turmoil of conflicting emotions that battered the solider. She felt anger and disappointment, which was to be expected, but she also caught a sense of wonder, admiration and pride. Carmen couldn't help but wonder at the odd mix and too whom each of the emotions was directed.

The conversation had then continued onto different subjects, but Carmen noticed that she no longer was on the receiving end of intense anger when Carlisle's name was mentioned. She wasn't sure if her cousin was now aware of his run away power and working to control it, or if something had changed in his view of his father. As much as she knew he needed to work on the former, she really hoped that the change was due to the latter.

"What are you thinking, Corazón?" She brushed her hand through his honey locks as he turned to look at her.

"I never would have imagined that Carlisle had blood on his hands. I mean, I know that he has never fed off of a human so I had assumed that he would have never killed one, let alone a child."

"Jasper, please don't feel betrayed." Eleazar held his breath for a moment as he tried to chase away the demons that the memory released. "If there had been any other option, any at all…."

"I know. I do understand why he did it. During my time with Maria, I had to make unsavory choices, too. I know how that is. I can't say that I'm not angry that Carlisle didn't try to find some other way, but I know how that must have affected him and the fact that he had the fortitude to do what was needed….Well this is a crappy comparison because there really is nothing that can compare to the death of a child, but it is like putting down a suffering animal. It's never easy, but it is in their best interest to end their pain. From what you say, that is what Carlisle did. He's so soft hearted…. I'm just amazed that he found the strength to do that and then turn himself over to Caius after. I…there aren't words…."

"You know if this doesn't take the stain off of the wall, I'll be happy to run over to Healy to pick up some paint."

Carmen smiled as the young man's voice snapped her back to the present.

"That won't be necessary, sweetie. The paint is washable so it should clean up with no problems at all. When we designed the room we tried to take into consideration all things that could occur. Believe it or not, you are not the first person to get clay on the wall." When he glanced down in shame, she carefully lifted his head back up and grinned brightly, "Though you are the first person to do so in such a grand manner."

"If you're going to do something there is no point in doing it half-assed."

Carmen cocked an eyebrow while the smile never left her face. "I don't know. I have heard that half-assed is better than no assed at all."

"Who is an ass? Hopefully that wasn't directed at me." Eleazar stepped into the room and quickly surveyed the damage. "Someone got a little carried away, I see."

Jasper ducked his head shyly as he began to scrub down the wall.

With a smirk at his mate the dark Spaniard placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It does take time to get the feel for working the wheel. You'll get the hang of it. It is actually a relaxing and rather rewarding hobby, but you have to get a couple of lopsided masterpieces under your belt first. The first time Carmen had me try I ended up with more clay on me than anywhere else."

"You've done pottery?" The solider cocked his head to the side as his curiosity was peaked.

"Why of course. Carmen shares all her endeavors with me. Besides, who do you think built that kick wheel for her?" The elder smiled. "Eternity is a long time to be bored, Jasper. Learning and improving various hobbies helps fill some of the time. When one is immersed in destruction due to his very nature it does the soul good to find outlets that allow for creation. It helps in keeping a much needed balance."

"Speaking of creating," Carmen injected. "Have you checked on your orchid today? It's going to want a bit more care since we've only just mounted it; at least until it establishes itself."

"Oh crap! I forgot to mist it this morning." Jasper propped the mop against the now spotless wall and began to rush off before a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"It's good. I watered it this morning," Eleazar casually fill the solider in on his activities. "But you are going to want to keep an eye on it for the next few days, yes?"

"Yes, but I actually do want to check on it right now. I'm sure that you did a fine job, please don't misunderstand, but it is still my responsibility and I want to do this right."

Eleazar chuckled softly. "There is no explanation needed, my friend. Go. Go see to your botanical wonder. You shall see that all is well."

With a slight smile and quick nod, Jasper slipped out into the hall and made his way towards the kitchen where Carmen had set up a growth light for the plant. A quick glance proved that Eleazar had seen to the plant's needs, but the solider took a moment to mist the precious bit of greenery in an attempt to provide it with the humid environment that it craved.

It was while he was refilling the misting bottle that he noted the sounds of tires rolling along the gravel drive.

"Eleazar, are Tanya and the girls due home?" He called out from the kitchen.

"Not for several months yet."

"Then it would appear that you have guests."

Placing the bottle on the counter, Jasper stepped out of the kitchen and glanced through the living room's picture window just in time to see a flash of pale blonde hair as the interloper ducked his head through the cab window to pay the driver. Much to his horror, the boy felt the venom in his body suddenly chill as the reality of what was happening struck him.

Eleazar was just stepping past Jasper on his way towards the door when a low feral snarl caused him to freeze.

"How in the fuck could you lie to me like that? I cannot believe that you would do this to me, Eleazar. You say that we're friends and then you pull shit like this?"

"What are you talking about, Jas…" The Spaniard's words were cut off as he was thrown violently against the wall and pinned in place by the growling youth.

"You told him. You said that you wouldn't report anything to him, but you fucking told him. I was supposed to have time to call and explain what happened, but you just couldn't wait a little bit longer. You knew how hard it was going to be for me, but you still jumped the fucking gun and went to him."

Eleazar swallowed his mounting anger and struggled to calm himself in an attempt to pacify the enraged youth with his own emotions.

"Jasper, let him go, sweetheart. You're overreacting. Calm down and tell us what is going on?"

"I've been lied to, Carmen, that's what's going on. Were you in on it, too?"

"In on what?"

A soft rapping on the front door caused all three vampires to quickly hush.

Eleazar was the first to recover and called out evenly while holding Jasper's angry glare. "I'll be right there, Carlisle. It seems that you caught me in the middle of something. Just give me a few seconds, old friend."

Firmly grasping the wrist of the hand that securely compressed his chest, the Spaniard growled very quietly. "How long do you think he will stand there before he becomes suspicious? I'm willing to bet that it won't be long. Now ask yourself, how would he react to seeing you behaving this way?"

"It doesn't matter, Eleazar, because my ass is already in a sling. I needed time to find the right way to break the news that I killed and you didn't give me that. Now he's here to give me my walking papers and you damn well know it."

"I never told Carlisle a thing. I don't know why he's here, but I do know that he would not throw you out of his family because you made a mistake. He understands that mistakes happen, child. They happen all the time to each and every one of us. We forgive the mistakes of strangers. How much easier is it to forgive the mistakes of the ones you love? The mistakes of a member of your own family?"

"He doesn't want me in his family."

Carmen's hands rested on her hips as she grew exasperated at the youth still threatening her mate. "Oh, for the love of all things holy, Jasper, he does want you in his family. We went down this path yesterday. You need to talk to Carlisle and let him…."

"Then it was you who called him? Did you figure that having him show up unannounced would force me to talk to him even though I have no interest in doing that right now? That's a shitty thing to do, Carmen. I would have thought that something like that was beneath you, but apparently I was wrong."

"Is everything alright, Eleazar?"

Jasper could hear the concern in his leader's voice and it caused his heart to seize.

"Fine, Carlisle. I apologize for making you wait."

"I hope that I didn't catch you at a bad time. I know that I should have called first. Please accept my apology for not giving you fair warning, but I just really needed to see my son."

The sincerity behind the words caused a lump to form in Jasper's throat. With tears quickly blurring his vision, the boy released Eleazar and disappeared in flash down the hall and into his room.

"Are you alright, mi amor?" Carmen quickly checked her mate over as he tried in vain to flag her away.

"Yes, yes. Of course, dear heart. As you know, the boy would not harm either of us. His confusion caused his temper to get away from him. Everything will be alright now."

Straightening his clothing out, he quickly flashed to the door and opened it with a smile for his friend.

"Welcome, Carlisle." He caught the stately blonde's hand and shook it firmly before pulling the doctor into a friendly embrace. "I'm dreadfully sorry about the delay."

Taking a step back, Carlisle met his friend's golden gaze. "Jasper?"

Eleazar tipped his head slightly. "A mild misunderstanding. There is no need to worry."

Carmen threw her arms around Carlisle's neck and kissed his cheek. "It is so wonderful that you could visit with us."

Carlisle returned the kiss then leaned a bit back. "I was wondering if the two of you might allow me to stay for the week. I know the last thing you need is another body upsetting the peace, but I am hoping that Jazz and I can spend some quality one on one time without any distractions. There's a lot that we need to discuss before I can hope to begin to rebuild our relationship."

"Oh, Carlisle,we are only too happy to have you. I'll go set up...," Carmen stopped as her mind suddenly spun. "We'll put you in Kate's room. Just let me go change the sheets."

The exotic easy going woman slipped from the doctor's arms before he could stop her.

"Carmen, seriously don't go through any trouble on my account. I am perfectly happy to camp out here in the living room. It's not like the bed is going to get any use and all I need is a place to plug in my laptop."

"Nonsense. You need a place where you can have some privacy and there is a desk at which you can work though you should be here to relax. Too much work and you may find that the Domovoi will make your computer disappear until it is time to leave." And with that, she was gone, leaving the elder males alone in the foyer.

"Domovoi?" Carlisle cocked a questioning brow.

"Spirited house guardian. It's claimed that most are rather homely looking men, though the one who resides here tends to show itself in the form of a beautiful five and a half foot tall saucy woman."

Carlisle laughed as his friend rolled his eyes. "You are a very lucky man, my friend."

"That I am, Carlisle. "

"I really don't want either of you to go out of your way. All of this fuss is most certainly not necessary."

"Necessary or not, you will have proper accommodations, Amigo. I just accept it as some throw back behavior from my mate's human life."

"Esme is the same way."

Eleazar rolled his eyes again and chuckled before he motioned towards the chairs by the fire. "Come and have a seat unless you would prefer to enjoy the scenery."

"After having been closed up in a plane, I believe some fresh air would do wonders."

"Then just let me grab my coat."

The men struck out from the house towards the snow covered wilderness exchanging views on random topics before Carlisle fortified his courage enough to return to the issue of his son.

"Where is Jasper?"

"I believe he is decompressing in his room. Your arrival came as quite a shock to him and put him a tad out of sorts, but we worked everything out."

Carlisle grimaced. "Again, I apologize. I shouldn't have just come on the assumption that you would be able to allow me to stay. I will call ahead next time."

"Oh, please, Carlisle there is nothing to worry about. I think you and your boy waste far too much of your precious time worrying when you should be enjoying yourselves."

A sheepish grin played on the doctor's face. "I have no alternative, but to agree with you on that."

"I always knew that you were a wise man."

Coming to the lake, Carlisle sat down on split boulder and gazed at the sunlight reflected on the smooth surface enjoying its calming effect. Taking a deep breath, the blonde shifted his focus to his hands as they lay folded in his lap before speaking softly. "How has his behavior been?"

Eleazar shook his head as he pitched a flat stone to skip across the water. "You know our agreement. Unless something drastic happens, everything stays between the boy and I. Nothing drastic has occurred so you will have to ask him. It will be up to Jasper to decide what and if he wishes to discuss what he has been up to, but you'll get nothing from me apart from to say that he is fine."

With a brief nod, the Cullen elder released his held breath in guarded relief.

"He's a good boy, Carlisle. You should be very proud of him and the way he represents … his coven."

A twinge of regret brought on by Eleazar's choice of words tugged at the patriarch's heart. "It would be incredibly hard for me to be any prouder of him than I already am, El. Jasper is extremely special to me. The night that he and his mate joined my family is among the happiest memories that I possess. They filled a void in my life that no other soul could hope to fill."

The Spaniard's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "Have you told him this?"

"Not in such a way that he honestly accepts it." Carlisle lowered his head as he rubbed his eyes. "Jasper is stubborn and believes what he wishes regardless of what I say."

"Tell him, Carlisle. Tell him every day until he can't help but believe you. Right now he doesn't feel that he can do right in your eyes so you need to let him know that he has."

"I know, though I can't even pretend to understand why he feels that way. My family has enlightened me to a lingering problem that I had thought had been corrected, but I appear to have only made it worse. I pray that spending this time with Jasper will allow me to make amends with my boy." Raising his head, he faced his friend with soul crushing sorrow apparent in his soft amber eyes. "I fear that I may be too late to salvage my relationship with Jasper, but I know that I have to try."

Eleazar crouched down and place a supportive hand on his friend's arm. "Go see your son. Tell him these things. Do not expect miracles, Carlisle, but give the boy a chance. He may be the eldest of your lot, but he is still young for all his world weariness and even discounting his gift, the lad is sensitive. You must keep those things in mind and do not allow yourself to overreact."

"I won't."

"No, Carlisle. Sitting here with me that is easy to say, but you must follow through. Jasper is going to expect certain reactions from you. If they are your reactions share them with him because blocking your emotions to protect him right now will only make him fear the worst, but he is very likely to force your emotions into what he believes they should be. I'm sure this is nothing new to you."

"He does it often and has been corrected time and again for manipulating the emotions of others for his own gain." Carlisle closed his eyes and sighed in mild annoyance.

"This will not be for his gain."

Carlisle's brows knitted in confusion as he glanced back at his friend for clarification.

"He has had a few bouts of being angry with himself."

"And his supposed weakness, I assume."

"In large part, yes, but the point is that he will expect you to be angry with him. If you are then that's fine, though if it is his anger that is igniting yours you must acknowledge that fact and not allow him to influence you."

The blonde nodded as he rested his elbows on his knees and steepled his hands before him while his mind processed Eleazar's advice. "Cooler heads prevail."

"Precisely."

Flicking his gaze back to the Spaniard, Carlisle met the man's eyes. "You are a true friend and I can never thank you enough for helping me and my family."

"Carlisle, you are all part of our family. Carmen and I are only too happy to help where we can."

Filling his lungs with the clean icy air, Carlisle stood and extended a hand to his friend.

"I guess it's time to get back and face the music."

"It is at least time to return to see what Carmen has done to Kate's room. Something tells me that fur will fly when the girls get back from their trip."

"Oh, I'm sure that Carmen can hold her own," Carlisle grinned.

" Unless Kate turns up the juice, " the Spaniard added with a shake of his head causing his friend's smile to widen.

"Be glad that you live in a house of adults. I can only imagine how much more difficult things would be at home if one of my children possessed a power like Kate's."

"Oh they still get into spats on occasion and it can get very interesting."

"I can only imagine."

"Oh, I have to tell you about this one time…."

The two companions swapped stories and laughed as they took their time following the path back up to the house, but Carlisle felt his heart grow heavier as the structure loomed into view. The blonde elder stopped and struggled for his breath as he felt his body locking down.

"Coraje, hermano. You know that your boy is just as concerned about this first meeting as you are. Remember what we discussed. Let him in, but don't allow him to control you. You must bring the stability that he requires. Have faith and let your love for the boy lead you; it will never steer you wrong."

Carlisle ran a hand through his hair as the other slipped in his jacket pocket to lightly graze the phone safely nestled there. All of his worries and doubts came flooding back in a turbulent rush, before he was finally able to force them back down. "It's not easy, Eleazar."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is, but I know that you are up for the task. You are the padre after all." Giving Carlisle a slap on the shoulder, Eleazar directed the doctor towards the door and his predestined meeting with his son.

* * *

**AN: **Yes, I had to do a bit of tweaking with the canon timeline since I seriously doubt that Carlisle and Eleazar were in Volterra at the same time. I simply really needed them to be so I could make use of Eleazar's memory. Thankfully fan fiction gives me that leeway.

Just could not get Jasper in the right frame of mind to face Carlisle. Looks like the next chapter will start out with that explosion.

And let's see... guess I need to share what a sjambok is since it did some serious damage to Carlisle. It actually is a very nasty little number that can do a great deal of harm. A sjambok can easily be lethal. It's a heavy stiff rod style of whip that is used in South Africa. Been around a very long time where cattle herdsmen used it to herd their cows and to cut snakes in two, drive away dogs, general self defense, judicial punishment, (shudder) etc. Traditionally made from rhino or hippo hide, usually between three to five foot depending on the size of the hide. The police in Africa now carry synthetic sjamboks for riot control, but I imagine that Caius would have a traditional leather one since that will have enough give to stand up to a vamp's marble hard skin without shattering. As harsh and strong as they are, it doesn't take much of a stretch of the imagination to realize that in a vampire's hand and used with their force and speed it would make quite a lasting impact. ...and it does hold up to continual whacking of hard surfaces. ...I know these things. *whistles innocently while mumbling something about research*

Thank you all so very much for the continuing support. Y'all are fantastic. Special thanks to my poor long suffering Beta, Splinter. Do not know what I would do without her.


	25. Tormented Souls

The bed sank under Carlisle's weight as he sat on the edge with his elbows on his knees and his head cradled in his hands while gathering his thoughts and courage before facing his son. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his hair to comfort himself while he focused intently on the boy in the next room. ___The next room. Good Lord, Carmen. I would have thought that keeping some distance between us would have been a better idea, but you were bound and determined that we weren't going to be allowed that reprieve. I hope that you know what you are doing because I would think that this would be much more stressful on Jasper and put him on his guard; it's certainly adding to my stress at the moment. _

The elder listened to the quiet sounds of movement next door and mentally watched his son begin to pace to relieve himself of his nervous energy. Carlisle laid back on the bed to squeeze in just one more moment of peace before subjecting himself to the conflict that surely awaited him. There was no telling how the soldier would react, but judging by the angry hushed exchange that had occurred behind the closed door at the patriarch's arrival, Carlisle was not expecting to be greeted with open arms.

___God, Esme, how I wish that you were here with me because I don't know if I can do this alone. This is going to be anything but easy. _

His ears suddenly perked up to the muffled sounds of Eleazar and Carmen quietly slipping out of the house. He knew the reason for their departure was to give him and his son privacy, but he couldn't help feeling a pang of abandonment as his friends left him to his own personal hell. ___Isn't that what you did to Jasper? Abandoned him when he needed you the most?_ Carlisle closed his eyes tightly and rubbed them to banish the bitter thought. ___You didn't abandon anyone. You brought him to stay with family because he needed some separation from the problem. The situation had become toxic and gotten too far out of control. You had to do something radical to save your son even if he ended up feeling cast aside. There is no point in second guessing yourself for something that can't be changed, Carlisle, all you can do is move on. If sending him to Denali was a mistake, all you can do is correct it, but you have to be open to understanding his feelings instead of doggedly sticking to the idea that you did everything right. Maybe this was the wrong approach to use with the Major, but what's done is done. Nothing more to do except to accept your mistake, learn from it and work harder to never put your son in this situation again. _

___I shouldn't have let it go this far. If I had been firmer with him sooner his behavior may have never escalated and none of this would have ever occurred. Instead you just kept feeding him rope until he hung himself. _The doctor groaned inwardly as he rolled onto his side. ___There was never a good or easy solution to the issue, but your soldier's current state of mind really is entirely your fault regardless of what anyone tells you. You have to repair the damage that you've done to this boy, Carlisle and making him wait and worry about what you're going to do or say isn't doing either of you any favors._

Carlisle suddenly slapped the mattress as he steeled his nerves and immediately noted that all movement in the adjacent room quickly ceased. Slowly releasing a held breath he sat up and with forced calm, rose to his feet. Pausing for a moment, the patriarch bowed his head in reflective prayer asking for wisdom and guidance before slowly stepping out of the door and into the hall.

With feet that felt heavy as lead, Carlisle took the few short steps needed to reach Jasper's bedroom door. Tentatively, the doctor raised his hand and knocked lightly before calling out softly to his son.

"Jasper, may I please come in. We need to talk."

"I've got nothin' to say to you, Carlisle."

"Well I have a few things to say to you and I would rather speak directly to you than to a door."

"The door will make a better conversational companion. I am just not ready for this right now."

___I'm not sure that I am either, son. _"Jasper, you don't have to say anything if you would rather not. All I'm asking is that you hear me out. There has been a misunderstanding, which is entirely my fault, and I need to try to explain."

"Carlisle, believe me, you have already made yourself abundantly clear. I do understand. I fucked up and lost my standing in the coven. I'll have to prove myself to you before you can trust me with your group again. I get it. There isn't any more to say."

The patriarch forced the air from his lungs in a frustrated sigh. "You don't have to prove anything and you most certainly haven't lost a thing."

"That's horseshit and you know it. I've lost everything."

Carlisle's heart seized upon hearing the anger and pain in his son's tone.

The soldier's voice came again softer and husky with emotion as he murmured, "Maybe not Alice, but I have lost everything else that has ever meant a damn thing to me."

The elder closed his eyes as he leaned his forehead against the cool wood and lowered his guard to allow his son to experience the sadness that was crushing his heart. "Jasper, you must judge for yourself if my words are true, but at least please hear me out. You are a treasured member of my family and I don't want to lose you. I know that you don't want to hear this, but you are my son; every bit as much as Edward and Emmett. I was blessed the day you walked into my life. I could never have even hoped to meet such an exceptional young man, let alone imagine that he would want to be a member of my family. You honored me that night and I have done a poor job of expressing exactly what you mean to me and to the rest of our family. I realize that I have made some disastrous mistakes lately. I was blind to that fact until just recently."

Carlisle inhaled deeply as he blinked away the venom coating his eyes. "I need my son back, Jasper, but I don't know how to go about accomplishing that task. I am begging you for your help. I'm hoping that together we can find a solution. I'm willing to do anything, but you have to let me know what it is that you need from me."

The doctor listened to the muted sound of slow movements coming from the other side of the door before a loud click of the lock disturbed the stillness left in the wake of his discourse.

"It's open, Carlisle."

With an inward sigh of relief, the elder worked the knob and let himself into the room, but patriarch's moment of relief evaporated at the sight of his son. Jasper stood on the far side of the room with his arms cross, shoulders hunched and back turned towards his father.

___He can't bear the sight of me._

Acutely aware of his own emotional state, Carlisle willed away his disappointment and attempted to fill the void left behind with a sense of hope.

"Thank you, Jasper."

The boy shrugged in response.

Easing his way over towards the bed, the patriarch took a seat. "Will you sit with me for a while, Jazz?" He patted the mattresses encouragingly while his boy commanded the elder's complete attention.

"No," came the nearly inaudible reply.

Carlisle's breath escaped in a soft sigh, but he nodded his head. "Fair enough." Resting his hands lightly in his lap he lowered his gaze in an effort to reduce the soldier's discomfort. "It is I who must earn his place back into your life if you will allow it. I'm willing to do that on your terms by whatever means you require."

The youth groaned quietly. "Carlisle, just stop with the senseless mind-fucking. I know that you're trying to pull some sort of reverse psychology shit on me and it's not going to work. You don't need me in your life. You have a full family of individuals who are so much better than me. I don't know why you bother with my hopeless ass anyway. Everyone is better off without me; safer without me. You were right all along. I am a problem and shouldn't be allowed to endanger your kith and kin."

"Major Jasper Cullen…."

"Whitlock."

Carlisle cleared his throat as he began again in a soft soothing tone that carried no hint of rebuke. "Major Cullen, you are most certainly not a problem nor do I view you as a danger." The elder sighed. "I fear that I have over reacted to the incident involving Mister Hayford and I cannot begin to tell you just how sorry I am for that. I wish that I could go back and correct that mistake…."

"I nearly killed that man, Carlisle. I hardly think that your actions could be considered over reactive. That's nothing but hogwash. I was out of control and you needed to step up and do something. We both know it. Don't try to bullshit me."

Carlisle closed his eyes for a moment as he swallowed back a reprimand. ___Not the time_.

"I will not apologize for sending you to stay with your cousins because I still believe that this is for your benefit, but you needed to understand my reasoning behind the decision. I should have kept you from walking out of the study until you realized my motives. That was entirely my failing. When you mentioned the idea of becoming an outcast…." Carlisle inhaled a calming breath as the memory came flooding back. "I didn't do all that I could have done to correct your misunderstanding. I thought that you were just upset and if I gave you some space, you would come around to seeing the truth. I honestly did believe that you would have let go of this crippling thought, but I was wrong. I made you feel unwanted and that is the furthest thing from the truth."

"I've always been an outsider. The position is not new to me, Carlisle so don't trouble yourself to think that you need to placate me."

Carlisle stood and crossed over to the youth. Placing a hand on Jasper's shoulder caused the boy to flinch, but the elder refused to allow the connecting touch to be broken.

"Jasper, you know that my words aren't empty, lad. Please look at me. Look me in the eye and see that I'm in earnest. I made a mistake and I have been praying that you will permit me to make amends with you. Tell me what I can do."

Jasper lowered his head a bit further as his leader's sincerity washed over him. ___Why are you doing this? _"Carlisle, I know that what I've done is unforgivable, but must you torture me with all of this sentiment? You want to make amends when there is no need. I can feel your sorrow over what you are about to do, but just do it. I know that I blew my last chance at making things right between us so don't pretend that there still is some option available. Don't tease me with false hope." The boy's voice came out in a hoarse whisper. "It's not like you to be cruel."

A scowl of confusion darkened Carlisle's face as he tightened his hold on Jasper's shoulder and tried to turn the soldier around to face him only to be met with strong resistance.

"I don't understand, Jasper. What are you talking about? What false hopes?"

"God damn it! I know that Eleazar or Carmen, maybe both, have told you what happened. I know why you're here. You can stop pretending.

Yes, Carlisle. Yes, you made a disastrous mistake in thinking that you could redeem a mindless feral animal like me. You thought that you could rehabilitate me, but obviously you haven't been able to. I am Maria's creation through and through. I was well taught and her lessons cannot be unlearned no matter how hard you pray for that to happen. You've tried, Carlisle. God knows that you have. You tried, but you failed or more to the point, I failed you."

"You've never failed…."

"FUCK IT! Yes, I have!"

Jasper rounded on Carlisle suddenly causing the elder to take a step back before their eyes locked.

The dark garnet flecks that glowed in the inky blackness caused the elder to pause for a moment, but it was the emotional pain, fear and regret swirling the boy's eyes which deepened his concern.

"What happened?"

Jasper narrowed his eyes at Carlisle's confusion. "You have to have known. They told you."

"Eleazar tells me nothing of what goes on. Carmen did tell me that you had gone missing for a period of time, but that was only related to me because we were looking for Alice and had reasoned that you would be together. I assure you that I have had no knowledge of this."

Carlisle reached out and touched his son's cheek as he tried to examine the boy's eyes more closely, but Jasper pulled away quickly while averting his gaze.

A suffocating silence hung between the two men before Jasper swallowed hard and muttered, "You had to know."

The doctor slowly shook his head. "No, Son."

"Stop fucking calling me that!" He growled loudly before dropping his voice to a whisper. "It's not as if I deserve it anyway."

Carlisle's heart broke at Jasper's words. The patriarch wanted nothing more than to pull his son into his arms and offer him comfort, but he feared driving him back into his protective shell. Instead he maintained his slight distance and gave a soft sigh.

"I'm sorry that I've upset you, Jasper. Please forgive me my momentary lapse into familiarity, but if that is the reason that you are refusing to accept the title…."

"It's not the only reason." Jasper hissed as he forced himself to meet the leader's eyes.

Carlisle lowered his head slightly. "Maybe once I've regained a bit of your trust then."

The southerner eyed the doctor cautiously for several long moments before his curiosity got the better of him. "If Eleazar didn't call you about my fall from grace, then why are you here?"

"For the exact reasons I have told you. I want to work towards repairing the damage that I have done to our relationship and I also needed to return this to you." Sinking his hand into the pocket of his slacks, Carlisle withdrew Jasper's cell phone and handed it to the boy. "Alice will be expecting your call this evening."

The soldier rolled the phone over in his palm before looking back at the elder blonde with questioning eyes.

"You will only have twenty minutes a day for now. Alice knows this, too."

"Is Alice alright?" Jasper cocked his head slightly to the side as he asked the question.

"She misses you terribly, but she is fine."

"You know that wasn't what I was asking." He switched his focus back to the small electronic device in his hand.

Carlisle closed his eyes and the boy felt the man's anxiety spike.

Jasper turned away as his grip tightened on the phone until he feared that he would break it. "I knew she shouldn't have come. I should have sent her back home immediately. That was all my fault."

"Jasper, you did not force Alice's hand. You didn't even ask her to come see you. Her disobedience was entirely her own fault. Not yours."

"You're wrong, Carlisle. She came because of this." He motioned towards his face with a wave of his hand that the elder knew was directed towards his crimson eyes. "She would have never crossed you for any other reason."

"I wish she would have told me the reason that she came."

Jasper turned back to look at the coven leader. "It wouldn't have made a difference."

"It would have made a difference to me. I would not have been quite as…." Carlisle let his statement break off abruptly as he shook his head sadly.

"Wouldn't have been quite what? Carlisle, what did you do to my Alice?" The soldier's ebony stare hardened as his mind raced through worst case scenarios.

"She was disciplined for her actions and I will say no more. You know that I don't go into details with anyone apart from Esme; not even with the offender's mate. All you need to know is that Alice is fine as you will see for yourself next weekend. She will be coming to see you provided that you behave yourself accordingly over the course of the week."

"Carlisle, if you have harmed a hair on her head…." Jasper snarled, ignoring the elder's words, as his eyes flashed angrily in defense of his mate.

The patriarch's jaw clenched and his eyes darkened several shades as he tightened his hold on his emotions to avoid feeding his son's anger.

With a deep growl rumbling quietly in his chest the elder snarled softly,"Don't you dare threaten me, young man. You know that I would never harm any of my family."

Jasper's eyes ran up and down the man standing before him before he grunted and finally looked away.

"There are many types of harm, Carlisle. You of all people should know that."

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and carefully slowed his breath. Once he felt back in control of himself, the patriarch finally released his emotions from their locked down mode to allow his son to feel his concern and curiosity as he returned to his original question.

"You haven't answered me, Jasper. What happened?"

"It's obvious, isn't it? I killed a human in cold blood." Turning back the boy glared into his leader's worried face. "How does it feel to always be right? You knew that I was a threat to everyone around me so you sent me out here to cool my venom. Instead of mellowing out and coming back in line I had to go and prove just how right you were. I really am nothing more than a soulless murderer."

Carlisle swallowed hard as his son's bitter tone tore through him, but he struggled hard to protect the youth from feeling the bulk of his distress in complete disregard of Eleazar's advice.

"Under what circumstances did this occur?"

"I doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that a man died and I was the cause. He's dead and the family that he has left behind has been devastated thanks to a cruel heartless monster."

"The details of every death matter because each is as unique as the life that has been lost. You know this."

Snorting dismissively the boy narrowed his eyes while he tapped a finger against his chin as though trying to recall the event. "Poor bastard must have gone out for a walk and ended up running into the Devil. End of story," was the soldier's flippant response.

"Jasper."

"What do you want me to say? I fucked up. I fucked up and a man died. I am too weak to constrain my thirst. I'm not strong like the rest of you. Animal blood is nothing more than a bridge to my next fix. I'm nothing but a pathetic junkie; a treacherous unstable predatory junkie who has no place being around those you love."

Rubbing his face in mild frustration Carlisle closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply. Motioning towards the bed he gently ordered, "Jasper, sit down."

"No. I prefer to stand."

A sternness crept into the elder's tone. "Jasper Whitlock Cullen, everything is not always about what you want. Do you currently consider yourself a member of my coven or not?"

Carlisle opened his eyes and glared hard at his underling causing Jasper to fidget.

Recovering himself, the soldier tightened his jaw as he returned the leader's stare for a few tense moments before finally complying as he dropped his head in submission. Slowly the soldier made his way over to the bed and sat with a quiet huff as he folded his arms defiantly while keeping his head bowed low.

Carlisle gnawed on his bottom lip while his mind wandered briefly over the things that he wanted to say as his son's sudden sadness enveloped him. Walking over to the southerner, the elder crouched down before the youth and look up into his troubled face.

"Jasper, I don't have any wish to correct you. You asked me why I'm here and what I have told you is the truth, but it is not the complete answer. I have taken the week off from work so we could spend some time together; just the two of us. For this week, I am not your father, your leader, or anything of that nature. I just want to be your friend if you will accept me in that capacity."

Carlisle felt a wave of confusion rise off his son, but at the same time he was pleased to find Jasper's fear lessening.

"Edward and I were alone for nearly three years before Esme entered the picture which gave he and I time to bond. Emmett... Well, Em has never met a stranger. You and I however have never had a real opportunity to just spend time alone. Some things that I have recently discovered have led me to believe that you see me quite a bit differently than how I really am. I need you to see the true me instead of the titles that I carry. This week is just for us. No hierarchy, no games, no barriers. The playing field is level and we will interact as equals. Do you think we can accomplish that?"

Red eyes flicked up to lock onto Carlisle's. Jasper stared into the soft compassionate dark golden orbs before finally nodding once.

Carlisle placed a hand on the boy's knee and gave it a light squeeze as he offered a reassuring smile.

"Good, but before I give up my authority completely I need you to know that you are never to castigate yourself like that ever again. I have zero tolerance when it comes to anyone speaking disparagingly of my son and we have been down this path before. By rights, I should be branding your behind with my belt right now, but that will start this week off on the completely wrong footing. Please take a bit of pity on me, Jazz and don't put me in a position where I feel compelled to follow through with correcting the bad habit."

"Old habits..."

"I realize that, but please."

Jasper sighed heavily. "I'll try."

Carlisle nodded safe in the knowledge that his son would attempt to meet him half way. "Now, please tell me what happened surrounding this human's demise."

In fits and starts, Jasper worked his way through his retelling of the hunter's death while Carlisle listened intently to every word. The elder's emotions remained neutral through most of the tale, only rolling into disappointment at the boy's confession of attempting to conceal the murder.

With an easy fluid motion, Carlisle settled back to sit on the floor as he mulled things over in his mind while his boy watched him intently.

"I know that I've let you down. Don't feel the need to protect me from that. I let myself down, too. It's like I said. I'm weak and can't control my thirst as the others can. I don't have a fraction their willpower. I can never be one of you, Carlisle. It's time to face that fact and stop lying to ourselves and each other."

Carlisle shifted his gaze to his son, but remained silent for several moments. When he finally spoke his voice was extremely gentle.

"Jasper, there is very little truth in that statement. Every day you prove just how much restraint you possess. Controlling our natural drive to feed on humans is a constant struggle for us all. It might appear easy, but it's not."

"Carlisle, you work in a hospital. You're around blood constantly and yet it doesn't tempt you."

The doctor glanced away and placed his fist against his lips to mute a chuckle before looking back into his son's eyes. "Is that really what you think? Oh, Jasper, you give me far too much credit for having superpowers. It's true then; reading all of those comic books back in the sixties has indeed had an effect on your perception of reality.

No, my dear boy. Trust me, I am tempted each and every day. The pain in my throat gets to be excruciating at times and it is indeed a constant struggle not to satisfy my thirst when the means to do so is so readily available."

"But you don't give in."

"I have had a great deal of practice in abstaining over the centuries. You have no idea how long it has taken me to gain the control that I need to have to work at the hospital, but that is also a perfect example of your control. What has taken me centuries, you have managed in a little better than, what? ... sixty years?"

Jasper raised a quizzical brow as he held the elder's gentle gaze. "How in the hell do you figure that?"

"Look at what you have accomplished. You worked with me at the hospital for a few days. Not once did you lose control. I was never in a position where I feared that I would have to restrain you because of your thirst. That is remarkable, Jasper and you accomplished that level of control in a very short period of time."

"I don't know, Carlisle."

"I do and I don't want to hear any more talk about you being weak. You are an incredibly strong individual, but you simply won't allow yourself to see it. You focus on your failures when you should be celebrating your successes."

The youth groaned before giving the man at his feet a disbelieving shake of his head. "I would not exactly call that a success."

"Then what would you call it?"

"A little bit of flaming luck."

Carlisle laughed quietly. "All success has a little luck factored in, but you succeed because you work at it. You work on your control every day. Think about it, Jazz. Each day that you walk out of the house and interact with humans you are tempting fate and each night that you return home having not spilled a drop of innocent blood you have conquered your thirst. Is that not the definition of success?"

The elder gave his boy a few minutes of contemplation before pushing forward.

"And dear Lord, Jasper five days out of every week nearly without fail, you fling yourself into a writhing pit of out of control hormone driven human emotions that is High School. That would inflame anyone with a gift such as yours, but you do a phenomenal job of controlling your response to that bombardment. Every day you step out into a war zone of temptation and arousal and yet you maintain a near iron clad control. That my lad, is astounding.

Will there be missteps here and there? Will mistakes occur? Of course they will. We're not superhu…" Carlisle caught himself quickly causing his son to laugh. "Scratch that, but you know what I mean. We're not perfect, Jasper. We will make mistakes. All we can hope to do is learn from them so that we might be better able to avoid them in the future."

Jasper ran his hand through his fair locks as he inhaled smoothly. "Alright." He gave the elder a slight nod. "For argument's sake, let's say that I buy into this rambling lunacy of yours. If I am this phenomenal example of control, then what am I doing here?"

Carlisle gazed down at his hands resting lightly in his lap as he appeared to become lost in thought.

"I don't think that's where you'll find the answer to my question, Carlisle." Jasper smirked as his leader raised his head and met the boy's brilliantly clear crimson eyes.

"No, I suppose not." The doctor gave a slight smile as he acknowledged his son's reprimand. "You are here because everyone needs a little break every once in a while.

I honestly never intended for this to be a punishment for you, Jasper; please believe me. I do understand how hard it is to be separated from your mate so while that is punishing, what I was really striving to do was to give you a reprieve from the turmoil in Forks."

Carlisle glanced down at his hands once more as he continued quietly.

"The Hayfords were having an intolerable effect on you as a whole. Amanda was tugging at your heart while her father was inciting you to violence at every turn. The strain on your psyche, made even worse by the amplifying effects of your gift, was tearing you apart right before my eyes. I felt that I needed to remove all temptation before you ended up doing something that you would regret."

Looking up the elder met his son's impassive gaze.

"That is why you're here. I'll concede that I kept Alice at home in the hope that feeling the distance might remind you that your first responsibility is to your family. It appeared that your quest for vengeance for Amanda had changed that focus and that your family was taking a backseat in favor of the wellbeing of a stranger. That protectiveness was also giving you tunnel vision. You saw only what you wanted to see instead of what truly was.

I don't know what else I can tell you, Jasper. What I do know is that I should have explained the situation and the reason for the actions that I was taking more thoroughly. I should have done more to make you understand that this wasn't a punitive measure; some sort of retribution. I simply thought that you would have reached that conclusion on your own, which was my biggest mistake because leaving you in that gray area only succeeded in causing you greater suffering. Please believe me; that was never my intention."

Carlisle let out a soft sigh while maintaining eye contact with his boy. While the soldier appeared to remain unmoved, the elder could feel the hurt that rolled off his son; a pain that had been brought on by his words. A shudder ran through him as he tried to shake off the feeling of his boy's anguish and suppress his desire to go to Jasper and hug him until the pain finally subsided. Nothing would have given Carlisle greater comfort, but he was unsure of how Jasper would react and didn't wish to force the Major into deeper stress than what already engulfed him. Instead the patriarch held back his comforting embrace and decided to wait for his son to make the first move.

Jasper studied his leader with an expression of cool detachment which he had perfected over the years he had spent leading Maria's army. The soldier was well aware of the effect the look had on others and was pleased to feel Carlisle's anxiety rise a notch when subjected to it.

"So, knowing that turning me into an outcast was not intentional, I guess you expect me to just forgive and forget this entire incident? Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, Carlisle, but I'm afraid that I'm just not that good of a man. Turning the other cheek has never been a strong point in my character."

Carlisle shook his head. "I don't expect you to forgive and forget anything, Jasper. I know that I have to prove myself worthy of forgiveness and I realize that will take time. As for forgetting; even if that were possible, I would hope that we would never forget this has happened. This is a learning experience for us both and I hope its lessons last the remainder of our existences."

The elder tilted his head back and closed his eyes as he picked his next words carefully.

"I need to learn how to communicate with you better so we have fewer of these lamentable misunderstandings in the future. The best way to learn is to see things from the other person's perspective." He opened his eyes and looked back at his soldier boy and took in a steadying breath. "That is yet another reason for why this week I want to be on equal footing with you. From the moment that I stepped out of that cab, I have been placed under Eleazar's authority the same as you. I get the same twenty minutes a day to talk to Esme as you have with Alice. There is no contingency plan that allows for me to step outside of the rules without reaping the consequences of misbehavior. I need to experience what I have asked you to endure so that I can know precisely what you are going through."

"But it's nowhere near the same thing so you can never know what I'm going through. You are safe in the knowledge that come the end of the week you will return from exile to fall into the waiting arms of your wife and be surrounded by the love of your family, while I have to remain here. It's easier to endure when the end of the torture is within sight; much more difficult when it stretches out beyond reach.

And while I am certain that Alice will be happy to have me back after my sentence has been served, I can't say that about the others. I will not be surprised if they discover just how much smoother the household runs without me getting in the way, so why in God's name would they want me back underfoot after that? Hell, in their place I don't even know if I would accept me back after all the horseshit I put them through."

"We've all endure much worse."

"BULLSHIT!" Jasper reached out and grabbed Carlisle's right arm in a firm grasp. Swiftly the soldier jerked the shirtsleeve up to expose his leader's forearm and the clearly visible new scar that marred his pale flesh. "I fuckin' bit you and this wasn't the first time that I've allow myself to get lost in my temper. I think Rosalie is the only family member who I haven't hurt...yet. Probably the only reason for that is the fact that she'd knock my punk ass out while the rest of you still try to reason with a deranged fiend. Good God, even dear sweet Esme has fallen victim to my outbursts. They shouldn't have to put up with that and I wouldn't blame them if they decided not to deal with this lame duck any longer."

Carlisle resisted the urge to pull free from his son's hold. Instead he glanced down at the scar and whispered, "You've never hurt Alice."

"What the..." Jasper released the doctor's arm and threw his hand up in the air to halt any response as he scoffed before turning away. "I've hurt Alice more than anyone else. I hurt her every time I lose control. I may have never physically hurt her, but I do much worse. I make her worry. I get myself sent away so she has to suffer loss right along with me. In the past she has had to endure not getting to go to events or promised outings because I got my sorry ass grounded and she wouldn't allow me to stay at home alone. Yes, I know that it was her choice to stay home with me, but I knew that she would make that choice and yet I still screwed up knowing that she would basically end up punishing herself. Every time I get into shit my mate suffers so don't you ever say that I've never hurt her. That's a completely lie and it's an unbecoming trait that doesn't suit you at all, Carlisle."

"Jasper, it was not a lie, but I can see your point which feeds into the idea that we tend to hurt the ones we love. It is something that we have to be mindful of; the effect that our actions have on those around us." Carlisle ran a hand through his hair out of nervous habit as he exhaled softly. "Sometimes even our best intentions cause pain."

Jasper studied the elder blonde as he became lost in his own thoughts. The harsh regret that poured off the man made it easy for the boy to tell what he was thinking about. Inwardly, the soldier groaned, but buffered his emotions so as to not allow Carlisle to feel his annoyance. Placing the pointed toe of his boot on his leader's knee, Jasper gave the man a light shove and was rewarded by having amber eyes turn towards him once again.

"Quit." The simple word was uttered with quiet confidence in the manner of an order.

"I can't."

"Of course you can." Jasper expelled the wasted air in his lungs with a loud sigh. "I don't like it and I'm still pretty pissed off, but I did need to get away for a bit. That jackass homed in on my buttons and was getting off on pushin' every last one of them any chance he got. I wasn't exactly making that tough for him, either.

I'm not impressed by your decision, but I agree that something had to be done. I know that and so do you. Don't get all het up about it. There's no point so just quit it."

Jasper felt the moment that Carlisle's tension broke. There was no denying the sensation of relief that crashed into him and the elder immediately took on a lighter less worn out expression that made the boy smirk. _Just words, Carlisle. Didn't say anything that you didn't already know._ As the soldier watched the coven leader visible relax, that reaction drove home the point of just how profoundly powerful words could be.

The Major gave another little shake of the foot that still rested on his father's knee. "Carlisle, I'm sorry for a lot of what I have said to you." He glanced down as he dredged up recent memories. "To Alice, too. Aw, hell I have a lot of apologizing to do; a whole lot. I know it's a flimsy excuse, but I was hurt and confused and I took that out on you pretty needlessly."

"There's no need for apologizes, Jazz. We both made some mistakes. Would you agree with that?"

"Yep, though I think mistake is a bit of a euphemism."

Carlisle smiled. "I don't believe that I'm comfortable enough with your more colorful terms so let's just stick with mistake."

Jasper nodded as he muttered a quiet, "sorry" which Carlisle was quick to wave off.

"Why don't we try to just look at this as a lesson learned and move on? I certainly would love to leave it all in the past and start anew."

"Same here, but I'm still…." Jasper shook his head as he grimaced slightly at finding himself at a loss for words.

"I know, Son."

The boy's eyes flashed to the elder's as he gave a single shake of the head causing Carlisle to sigh softly.

"Maybe in time."

"Maybe, but not yet."

Carlisle nodded. "Deep wounds take time to heal, but we'll work on it together."

Getting to his feet, the patriarch reached a hand to the soldier and helped him up. Giving Jasper a light slap on the back he smiled. "How about filling me in on what you've been up to?"

Jasper snorted slightly. "Been doing some horticulture and a bit of pottery. Of course we also have dance nights, which Eleazar just loves." He rolled his eyes and laughed slightly before a serious expression stole across his face. "Oh, and if you are serious about being on the same level as me, let me warn you, don't make any cracks about the Inquisition. That dawg don't hunt. Trust me."

"Duly noted."

The youth looked at his leader for a moment taking special note of the question in his eyes before he sighed and wrapped his arms around the elder.

"We'll work it out, Carlisle. It's going to take time, but you'll see. Just don't try to rush it."

Tears sprang to Carlisle's eyes as he returned the embrace. He already knew that it would take time and a great deal of effort to heal the chasm that separated their tormented souls, but the fact that his son was willing to take this first step with him brought everything into focus. For the first time since the morning that he departed Denali while leaving his soldier behind, Carlisle truly believed that they would work things out and his family would once again be whole. He would take his boy's advice and not rush a resolution, but for now he would simply enjoy how right it felt to once again hold his son in his arms.

* * *

**AN:** Sorry it took so long to get this sucker updated. First I got myself sick and then my computer caught its own virus and I darn near lost the chapter. Happy to report that we are now both... mostly healthy, but at least up and running.

Happy to announce that "Dark Justice" was nominated and won First place in the "Most Promising Twilight Fanfiction - canon" category of the Energize W.I.P. Awards. This could not have been possible without the wonderful support of my readers and I can't begin to express how much all the support means to me. Thank each and every one of you. You guys are simply the best!

Now we have a nomination for the Non-canon Awards. Actually we have nominations in three categories. DJ for Non-canon Fic, yours truly for Non-canon Author, and Jazzy for best quote due to his banana colored smiley face contacts. *grins* We'll have to see how we do once voting starts, but I have to say I'm amazed that people enjoy my silly little story enough to honor it like this. Thanks again, y'all.

Thanks to my wonderful hard working beta Splinter. Yep, I agree. Jazz has issues but hopefully I can get him straightened out.

Going to take a bit to get Carlisle and Jasper's relationship back where it was before this whole thing started. Hopefully a little bonding... at Carmen's expense ... will help that along the its way.


	26. Weathering the Storm

Eleazar groaned when Carmen took a hold of his hand and hauled him up and out of his comfort zone in the plush chair before the fire.

"Dance with me," she insisted while dragging her mate towards the center of the room.

"Should you not be seeing to the needs of our guest instead? He could be feeling left out, no? Why not dance with him? He looks like he has energy to spare."

Carlisle leaned against the back of the chair where Jasper sat wildly strumming his guitar at a fiery Spanish tempo. A bright grin crossed the elder blonde's face as he watched the feigned reluctance of his old friend.

"Eleazar, you know I would never dream of impeding your fun. Do not be concerned about me. You and Carmen just go on and enjoy yourselves. I can't think of a thing that would give me more pleasure than seeing you happy and having fun." Carlisle's eyes sparkled in joyous amusement.

The Spaniard narrowed his eyes at his old friend bringing a peal of good-natured laughter from the doctor.

"Yes, Carlisle. You just wait. I am not one to get mad, as you know, but I do get even."

Carmen placed a delicate hand against her husband's cheek and turned him away from Carlisle to look into her radiant face.

"And what have you to get even with our guest for, Mi Amor? He is only thinking of what is best for you. Dancing is good exercise. It keeps you young and is muy bueno for the libido."

Pressing her lips against her mate's, Carmen molded her body against Eleazar as she forced him to sway to the sensual rhythm of the music when Jasper switched to something a bit slower and more provocative.

A tap to his shoulder caused the musician to glance up from his instrument. As his gaze fell on his hosts, a wicked smile formed on the boy's lips. Adjusting the tempo a touch more he found himself treated to erotic show as two entwined bodies swayed in front of the fire.

Carmen rubbed against the muscular thigh anchored firmly between her legs and ran a hand through her mate's bittersweet chocolate hair. Her free hand slowly traced the hard corded muscles of his back dipping ever lower until she cupped his tush to pull him more tightly against herself while never once relinquishing her possession of his lips.

With a hand splayed out against the small of her back pinning her against him with steady pressure, Eleazar rolled his hips against his mate as a lust filled moan escaped his lips.

"Hmmph." Jasper glanced over his shoulder at Carlisle as he whispered quietly, "And to think he claims to hate dancing. I don't know about you, but I sure don't see a thing to hate about that."

Without taking his eyes off the performers, the patriarch responded with a slight smirk. "Well I'm sure you know all about the passion of the Spanish. It's a good thing that they don 't have to breathe or someone would have passed out by now."

"I believe that we could sell tickets to this. We might want to think about taking the show on the road."

"Hm." Carlisle rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I could see it appealing to a select crowd and turning a tidy profit."

Reluctantly breaking the kiss, Eleazar turned his attention briefly from his sensuously gyrating mate to fix his gaze upon his friends. "You do know that we can hear you?"

"Sorry, Ele. Don't mind us. Please. Continue doing what you're doing." Carlisle waved his hand at his friend encouraging him to see to his mate's needs.

"If they continue, they're going to be breaking the laws of decency in a fair number of states not to mention corrupting a child. I am still young and impressionable, after all." Jasper winked as Eleazar growled quietly at him.

"Carlisle, I would have never guessed that you would have such an insolent boy."

"He gets it from his mother." The doctor smiled as he gave his son's back a pat before whispering in his ear. "What do you say to you and I going out for an evening hunt and giving the two love birds some much needed privacy? I don't know about you, but I find that things are heating up just a little too much for me in here."

"It's about to get much hotter, Carlisle," Carmen purred as she shifted her smokey look towards the elder blonde, a sultry smile playing on her lips.

"That is a cue if ever I heard one. Let's go, son."

Placing his guitar down next to his chair, Jasper stood with a cocky half grin. "You two will make sure to leave the house still standing now, won't ya?"

"Jasper." Carlisle chastised softly.

"We shall do our best, Corazón, but I make no promises," Carmen replied with a wink.

"And on that note..." Carlisle gave the couple a slight nod before heading out the door with Jasper close on his heels.

At the last moment before the door closed, Jasper's head popped back in. "Hey, y'all might wanna put a towel on the doorknob so we'll know that it's safe to come back in. Wouldn't wanna walk in on anything. Might be too much for my impressionable innocent eyes."

Carmen grabbed a throw pillow and tossed it at Jasper's head which disappeared in the nick of time as he swiftly shut the door firmly behind him.

Jasper jogged along at a human pace to easily catch up to Carlisle on the rocky path that led away from the house out into the vast wilderness.

"How long do you think we should stay gone?"

"I don't know. From the looks that Carmen was giving, I would say that they are going to need a few hours at the very least." Carlisle knocked his shoulder into Jasper's and jostled the soldier playfully. "Feel like having a run?"

"Well we are hunting Carlisle. It's not like the critters are gonna just walk up to us and go 'kill me now' or something along those lines," the boy quipped with a roll of his eyes.

"I don't know. I read in a recent medical journal that current suicide rates in woodland creatures are on the rise. Effect of the economy and global climate change from the looks of things."

"What the...?" Jasper shoved Carlisle hard before taking off at full speed through the brush, leaving the elder struggling to catch up.

Racing across the landscape, the two men indulged in some roughhousing to their mutual delight, startling birds from their roosts and sending small animals running for cover as they passed by, but their play ended abruptly when the scent of prey filled the air.

With throats suddenly parched and burning, the vampires came to a halt and inhaled the sweet salty aroma. A herd of elk had recently passed and no doubt would be looking to bed down soon if the darkening sky was any indication.

Silently, the solitary predators quickly separated to seek out their prey and feed in peace safe in the knowledge that they would find each other again after their thirst was sated.

* * *

Carlisle laid back on the ground with his hands clasped behind his head as he watched for the occasional meteor to streak across the velvety black sky. The waning moon cast a weak glow as forming storm clouds began to shroud it, but the little light that it afforded was quite enough for him to see by.

His hunt had been quite successful with a large caribou falling to his skill. As always he was bothered by a lingering regret at having to take a life to sustain his, but took comfort in the relatively pain free death that he offered. Now with his thirst quenched he was able to relax and enjoy the peaceful evening and allow his mind to drift where it wished, though it always seemed to return to his son.

Jasper had been tolerating him since their first discussion after his arrival. For that, Carlisle was grateful, but also saddened because that was exactly how it felt; tolerated, not welcomed. There was still a distance between them that hadn't been evident since the early years of Jasper's inclusion into the family. By all accounts the boy had returned to his cautious stand-offish ways as he stubbornly refused to let anyone get close to him. Carlisle had hoped that these things were well behind them. Apparently he was wrong and now the patriarch was at a lost as to how to repair this new rift that rocked the foundation of his family.

Time may heal all wounds, but how much time was this going to take? Every dismissal, regardless of how polite it came, caused a new rip in his heart and the elder was not sure how much more of that he could take. Had he still been human, he felt certain that his heart would have long since given out under the stress and strain of the loss of his boy and the knowledge that it was he and he alone who was responsible for driving Jasper away.

Carlisle was grateful for Carmen and Eleazar's willingness to act as a buffer over the last couple of days that he had been there. They helped to ease Jasper's mind when it came to this readjustment period to having him around. _I have no idea how this would have gone without them and I really wouldn't wanted to find out. The only one with the potential to help more would be Esme. Oh God, how I wish my patient mate was here. She would know what to do and say to help the boy find peace; something that I have yet to figure out how to accomplish.  
_

The sudden overwhelming stench of bear permeated the sparsely wooded area to very effectively interrupt the elder's thoughts.

"Good Lord, Jasper. Couldn't you have found a meal that didn't smell quite as wretched?" Carlisle ceased breathing in an attempt to block the repugnant odor. "You smell like Emmett on a really bad day."

"Oh like you can talk," the younger blonde retorted as he stepped through the underbrush to lean his back against a tree while joining Carlisle in the clearing. "You smell like a bull moose in full rut. I wouldn't bank on that as a scent to lure in the ladies."

"Maybe lady moose will be beating a path to my door."

"I'm sure Esme will be thrilled to have some competition."

Carlisle sniffed his shirt and grimaced.

"I was hoping that had faded by now. Maybe we should consider a dip in the lake before heading back to the house," the doctor offered as he returned his gaze to the cloud filled sky.

"Sounds very...refreshing." The boy let his head drop replicating the stance of a weary human as he shoved his hands deep in the pockets of his faded jeans and gave a soft sigh.

A rush of sadness washed over Carlisle, but he resisted the urge to get up and go to his son. Instead he decided to give Jasper whatever time he needed to open up on his own. Much to the elder's surprise, that period of time was much shorter than he would have ever imagined.

"I miss Alice."

The words had been spoken in a whisper that was nearly lost on the breeze which was beginning to pick up as a precursor to the coming storm.

"Did you call her this evening?"

Jasper nodded before quietly disclosing he feelings. "Talking to her seems to make the yearning worse. I know that you mean well in allowing contact and I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but in the end it is more of a tease than anything else. My heart is right there being dangled just out of reach only to be yanked away the moment that I feel like I'm getting close."

Carlisle sighed softly as he mulled over his son's words.

"Jasper, I can't bring you home just yet."

"I didn't expect you to. It's not as if I've learned my lesson yet. I'm not sure that I'm ready to come home anyway; not while sporting this red badge of dishonor anyway."

Carlisle closed his eyes as he reined in his irritation and collected his thoughts, before shifting around to sit up facing his boy.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of and no one is going to judge you."

"But they will, Carlisle and if you don't think that's true, you're just foolin' yourself." Slowly raising his head, he look at his elder with dark crimson eyes that seemed to glow in the filtered moonlight. "I can barely stand to face myself in the mirror. You tell me how I can expect them to feel any differently."

"Jasper, we are all harder on ourselves when it comes to a perceived fault than anyone else would ever be. You exhibit this trait more acutely than anyone I have ever met. You really do need to learn to be kinder to yourself and stop expecting some sort of perfection."

Getting to his feet, Carlisle walked over to where his son stood, but as he slowly closed the distance, Jasper lowered his head and turned a bit further away.

"Please look at me," the doctor softly requested.

Heaving a sigh, Jasper reluctantly glanced up at his former father figure and uncomfortably met his gaze while suddenly feeling rather small and vulnerable.

"Jasper, do you know what I see when I look into your eyes?"

"Failure." The boy quickly tried to look away, but was thwarted when Carlisle cupped his cheek and gently forced the soldier's head up.

"Never. I have never detected an inkling of failure in you."

Jasper huffed and rolled his eyes.

Allowing his hand to fall away from the boy's face, Carlisle crossed his arms as his expression turned stern.

"Major Whitlock, have I ever lied to you?"

"Carlisle..."

"A simple yes or no will suffice."

"No. At least not that I know of," Jasper conceded in a low tone.

"Then why would I lie to you now? What have I already said on this matter? What have Eleazar and Carmen continually told you about how they view what happened?"

Jasper shook his head and looked down while scuffing his boot against the ground.

"Jasper, I am not willing to pull rank so you are not obligated to answer, but I would appreciate it greatly if you did so anyway."

"It was an accident that could have happened to anyone." The soldier shook his head dismissively. "But it didn't happen to just anyone. It happened to me because I am not careful enough. I don't pay enough attention. I'm not ..."

"Don't even finish that thought." Carlisle's eyes darkened a shade and a deep rumbling growl of frustration vibrated in his throat.

Clearly feeling the elder's aggravation, Jasper sighed as sadness dulled the vivid color of his eyes. "The fact that you don't want to believe it, doesn't make it not so."

"Neither does your unwillingness to accept what is indeed fact negate the truth. Jasper, I cannot force you to stop ruminating over this, but I can ask that you at least listen to those around you. Truly listen and hear what they are telling you. Don't decide what someone feels or how they will act before they even have a chance to do so. That isn't fair to them.

Your family, and that is what they are whether you see them that way or not, loves you unconditionally. Yes, there will be moments of friction where we get on each others nerves or anger one another, but that doesn't' mean that we ever stop caring for each other."

Brushing a stray lock of hair out of the boy's face, Carlisle stared intently into his eyes.

"Jasper, Alice and Edward have already proven how deeply they care for you. They kept your secret and put themselves at fairly significant risk in an attempt to find a way to relieve your suffering. Had Emmett and Rosalie known what was going on, I have no doubt at all that they to would have tried to find a way to help regardless of the consequences."

Venom tears welled up in the youth's eyes causing them to sparkle.

"I never wanted them to do that, Carlisle. I didn't want them to get into trouble because of me. I'm not worth..."

"Stop." The patriarch placed his hands firmly on his boy's shoulders. "Alice and Edward felt that you were well worth it and to belittle yourself is to make light of their sacrifice."

The soldier cringed and lowered his gazed.

Carlisle ducked his head to catch the boy's eye. "What?"

Jasper gave a slight shake of his head before muttering, "It's just hearing that word. They shouldn't make sacrifices for me."

The elder smiled as he removed one hand from his son's shoulder to place a knuckle beneath Jasper's jaw to lift his head. Once they were eye to eye again, he spoke softly in a tone that mirrored the emotions that he was allowing Jasper to feel unimpeded.

"We all very willingly make sacrifices for the ones that we love. How many sacrifices have you made for your siblings? For Alice? For Esme and myself? For a little human child who was laying injured in a hospital bed?"

"That's different."

"How so?"

"I don't know, it just is."

Carlisle cocked his head to the side as he thought for a moment. "You think that you are the only one entitled to make a noble gesture. Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Of course not, it's just that..." Closing his eyes, Jasper shrugged off the elder blonde's hand and turned away with his head hung low. "There is no point in anyone going out of their way like that for me. I don't deserve it.".

"What you do and don't deserve is not for you to decide."

"Well it should be because I'm the only one who knows just what sort of a person I am. I've done things..."

"I know, Jasper..."

The boy round back on the patriarch with flashing eyes. "No, you don't. I'm not talking about my crimes of a lifetime ago. I'm talking about right now."

"S...Jasper, you have made amends for your behavior. You've been chastised for your infractions and you need to let the guilt that you are harboring go. It's already taught you everything that it can and now it's time for you to move past it."

"No, Carlisle, I can't just let it go. I have not made amends. You don't know everything."

Wrapping his arms around his chest to hug himself for comfort, Jasper took a few steps away from the coven leader. "You think you know, but you don't."

"Then enlighten me," Carlisle pleaded gently.

Shaking his head, Jasper increased the distance between the two of them.

"Tá sé ceart go leor a mhic."

"What in the hell does that even mean?"

"Um... well..." The patriarch stammered as he ran a hand through his hair while a rumble of distance thunder shook the ground. "Basically it means that everything will be okay."

Jasper glanced back over his shoulder at Carlisle. "Why the hesitation?"

The elder caught his bottom lip between his teeth and exhaled the needless air from his lungs before drawing another slow breath to answer. "The term 'son' is also part of that statement." With his head held a little lower he glanced up and over towards the boy. "I'm sorry, Jasper. I have great difficulty with that. I can't help, but see you as my son. I am trying hard to not push my feelings on you. I apologize for the blunder."

The soldier turned back around and hunched his shoulders while hugging himself a little tighter.

"It doesn't really matter, Carlisle. In just a few seconds you won't be wanting me as a son anyway."

"That's preposterous. Don't be absurd, Jazz. There isn't a thing that you can say or do that would ever change the way I feel about you."

"I assaulted Esme," the boy blurted out quickly before his courage could fail him.

Jasper felt a sudden void form where, until this very moment, he had been in-tuned to Carlisle's feelings. The leader allowed his emotions to remain open to the boy since his arrival in Denali, so the abrupt lock down told the soldier all that he needed to know.

When not even the sound of Carlisle's breath could be heard, the boy quietly sighed.

"You're furious. I don't blame you at all. You should be furious." He nodded as he accepted the very normal response to finding out that your mate had been attacked. "I would have expected nothing less. Do whatever you must. I know that it's well deserved."

It was several more silent minutes before Carlisle finally found his voice.

"I'm not furious."

He kept his tone soft and steady, but Jasper could detect the strain in it.

"Carlisle, you've never lied to me; don't start now."

Taking a deep breath the elder spoke again, but this time his words appeared less forced. "I'm not lying to you, Jasper. I am not furious. What I am is angry,disappointed, rather hurt and deeply confused. When and how did this happen?"

"The night that ended with me being sent here; before you came back home after dropping me off to go back out on your own."

"Why?"

Jasper gazed down at his hands as he slowly spun his wedding ring while listening to the rolling thunder as it rapidly closed in on them.

"I was worried about Amanda and snapped a bit at Esme because I didn't feel that she realized the seriousness of the little girl's situation. Emmett stepped in and tried to calm me down, but that turned into an argument. Esme just wanted to stop us before we came to blows. She touched my shoulder and..." The soldier drew a breath in an attempt to ease the tightness in his chest. "I... I shoved her away from me and knocked her down." He swallowed back the thick venom that rose up like bile in his throat. "I growled at her and more than likely would have hurt her if she hadn't backed off. I just needed her out of my space. By the time I realized who it had been that touched me..."

Jasper's legs felt impossibly weak and he found himself wanting to collapse into a ball at his leader's feet to beg for mercy which he knew in his heart Carlisle would grant, but he would never allow himself to do such a thing. He was a Whitlock and that meant that he faced his problems head on. He would accept Carlisle's wrath and pray for a swift resolution.

"Why am I only hearing about this now?"

The soldier groaned softly, but offered no answer.

"Jasper, turn around and look at me, please."

The boy swallowed hard before shaking his head.

He felt the elder step up behind him and winced as long sensitive fingers threaded their way through his hair from the nape of his neck up and along his skull before balling into a fist that yanked him ever so slightly backwards.

Taking a sharp breath that hitched in his chest, Jasper resigned himself over to the fact that he had pushed Carlisle too far. The elder was clearly going to take his head in retribution for the insults shown to himself and his mate. Venom flooded the boy's mouth as he instinctively prepared to fight for his life, but with considerable effort he swallow the thick bitter liquid and willed the tension from his muscles.

"Jasper, I am having a very difficult time right now in keeping a promise that I made to both of us," the patriarch hissed in the boy's ear. "And you are not making it any easier on me. Do not cause me to have to answer to Eleazar for losing my temper with you."

The Major released his trapped breath in a rush.

"Carlisle, you don't have to answer to anyone. Kill me if you feel that you must to right the wrong that I have done to you. I put my hands on your mate. There is not a soul who would blame you."

"Oh really? I can think of six right off the top of my head and another two if I include our hosts."

"They won't hold it against you. No one in their right mind..."

"I WOULD HOLD IT AGAINST MYSELF IF I WERE TO HARM YOU!"

"WHY? YOU deserve satisfaction and ESME deserves to be avenged. Just do it, Carlisle. I won't fight you. I know that I have it coming; knew it the moment that I saw Esme cowering on the floor. I've earned your fury and I'm ready to settle my account. It's not harm, Carlisle; it's justice."

A jagged bolt of lightening flared across the sky, illuminating the soldier and his would be executioner as the wind whipped around them carrying the scent of nearby rain.

Carlisle roared as his anger swelled before a prickling of fear briefly tickled his spine then vanished. His onyx eyes lightened when the veil slipped and for a moment he could clearly see what was occurring.

Releasing his hold of the boy's hair, he cupped his hand at the base of Jasper's neck and shoved him a stumbling step forward. Backing up, he placed a bit of distance between himself and his son; his anger draining a little with each retreating step he took.

With his son's influence weakening by the growing distance, Carlisle drew a ragged breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose and fought to reclaim his sanity.

As Jasper slowly took a few steps in the elder's direction, Carlisle felt waves of anger beginning to stir the surface once more.

"NO!" He held a hand out towards the boy bringing him to a halt. "Don't you dare do that again. You will NOT manipulate me into hurting you, Jasper. That isn't just. That's heinous. If it is dark justice that you seek, you will find yourself sadly disappointed."

Walking over to a towering pine, Carlisle pressed his back against the rough bark covered trunk and slid down to sit at its base. Drawing his knees up into his chest, he laid his head upon them and began the arduous process of sorting his own emotions from the ones inflicted upon him by his son.

The rain had begun to fall steadily before Jasper dared to try to approach the shaken elder again.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle," the soldier whispered softly as he took a seat on a nearby stump.

"Why, Jasper? Why would you do that?"

"I knew that you weren't going to act and I need you to. I've been drowning in guilt. I had to try something, anything, just to get some relief from this endless torment."

"You would have had me damage you, possibly even killed you, because you knocked Esme down." There was no question in the patriarch's tone. He knew his son's objective, but needed to hear it confirmed.

"It's what I deserve. If I was a part of any other coven...Hell, Carlisle, if I ran with a couple of nomads, they would try to kill me for doing the same thing to their mate."

The elder lifted his eyes to gaze at his son. "But you aren't part of another coven. You are a member of my family and that isn't how I handle things. You know that."

"But I'm not a member of your coven right now." He held up his bare wrist to prove his point. "I'm just a stray scrounging along the edge; just a pariah praying for scraps to be thrown his way and nothing more."

"Do you truly believe that?"

Jasper released his breath in a long low sigh. "Sometimes."

"Do you believe that right now?"

"I'm trying to."

"Why?"

"Because it makes things easier. It makes it easier to hate you for sending me away. It's easier if I believe myself unworthy of love. Then it doesn't sting as badly when I lose it."

Carlisle lifted his head and swept his rain soaked hair out of his face as he leaned his back against the tree.

"Major, you aren't and never have been in danger of losing anyone's love. That's simply not possible."

"How can you love me after all that I've done? After what I just did?"

"The better question is how could I not when it's clear that you need us as much as we need you?"

Jasper sighed and let his head fall forward as the wind driven rain picked up in intensity.

"Do not be angry with anyone apart from me." The words were issued as more of a demand than a request. Without lifting his head, the soldier raised his eyes and stared into his leader's. "You weren't told about my attack on Esme because she swore everyone to secrecy. I was scared out of my mind when I realized what I had done. I tried to run because I was too cowardly to face my crime. Edward had to wrestle me down or I would have been gone when you came home."

The boy wiped at a tear that rolled down his cheek to mingle with the rain while the elder listened patiently.

"Esme knew that I already had too much on my plate so even though you should have been told and the others knew it was the right thing to do, they couldn't go against her.

I thought that I could handle keeping that secret, but it has been eating at me because I do respect you, Carlisle. I respect you too much to keep something this important from you ... and I love Esme too much to allow her to let me get away with the disrespect that I showed her."

Jasper shifted his gaze back to the ground and the rain drops that splashed in the puddles forming around his feet while he waited for Carlisle's unadulterated reaction.

Carlisle rested his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers together as he considered the situation carefully. When he finally spoke, his soft voice was nearly lost amongst the symphony of lightening and thunder.

"Jasper, this is not the first time that we've had to address this particular transgression. Because of that, I am inclined to impart a much sterner correction than normally deemed necessary. Do you understand my reasoning?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry that you have had to struggle with the weight of this for so long and I wish that I had another option at the moment, but I won't discipline you right now. If you wish, I can talk to Eleazar and see..."

"No. That won't... No."

The doctor ran his hands through his hair again, more out of nervous frustration than need.

"I told you that I was your equal this week and I won't rescind that. As your equal I don't have the authority to correct you. That task falls to either Eleazar or Carmen. As I see it, we are left with two options. Either you submit to Eleazar, providing that he is willing to discipline you, or Carmen if you prefer with the same stipulation applying or..."

"Or?"

"Or you have to endure a little longer until I can reclaim my role as a leader whom you feel worthy of following."

The boy raised his head and turned his sad dark ruby eyes on Carlisle. "How long will that be? At this moment, I am willing to follow you if only for the reason of ending this."

"I would prefer to wait until we were back home, but I will leave that up to you. The earliest would be Sunday night before I leave. That way you can enjoy some time with your siblings over the weekend without ...well, without worrying about Em knocking into you and going out of his way to make you miserable."

Jasper smirked a little. "I wouldn't mind him too much."

Carlisle smiled. "You say that now."

The youth rose to his feet and came to stand before the coven leader. Clasping his hands behind his back, he squared his shoulders before raising his head.

"Sir, may I have a day to think it over before I decide?"

Inwardly, Carlisle let loose a sigh of contentment at the show of respect that would be his first glimpse of his son returning to him. Rising in recognition and to return that respect, the elder nodded his head once. "Major, take all the time that you need. There is no reason to rush your decision."

"Thank you, Sir."

A bolt of lightening struck a tree several yards from the men splitting it in two while the wind increased the volume of it's mournful howl.

"I think it is past time for us to head back to the house," Carlisle commented as he surveyed the damaged pine.

"At least it doesn't look like we will be needing to take that dip in the lake, after all. It feels more like the lake has washed over us."

Carlisle smiled as a glint of humor sparkled in his eyes. "Well, you certainly no longer smell like a bear, but you'll have to be mindful not to track that mud all over Carmen's clean floors."

Jasper's stance relaxed as he glanced down at the soaked clothing that clung to his body. "What mud?"

"That mud." Carlisle grabbed the boy in a headlock and playfully wrestled his son down to the ground.

Jasper's laughter as he wiggled free was music to Carlisle's ears. The elder could almost feel the wall between them beginning to crumble.

"So you think you're slick, old man?"

"Who are you calling an old man, you insolent whelp?"

"I only see one person out here fitting that description."

"Oh is that so?" Carlisle growled as he charged, but Jasper danced out of the way sending the elder sprawling face first into the mud. Quickly flipping him over, the boy held the doctor down and counted off the pin while rolling with laughter.

Crawling off Carlisle and struggling to his feet in the slippery clay, Jasper extended a hand to help the patriarch up.

"Come on, you codger. Don't want you to stay wet or you could catch your death. You know how delicate the system gets when you get up in years. Best be getting you home so you can sit by the fire in the recliner and warm up, then you can get back to yelling at the kids to stay off your lawn. You do have a cane to shake at them, don't you?"

"Jasper," the coven leader groused in a warning tone.

"Yes, Carlisle?"

"You better watch yourself, boy. You know what they say. Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill." Narrowing his dark eyes he glared menacingly at the youth before a smile curled his lips. "Come one. I'll race your home."

Taking Jasper's helping hand firmly in his, Carlisle gave a hard yank which toppled the boy back down on the ground. Hopping to his feet, the elder laughed while he took off towards the house at a flat run.

"What the hell?" The soldier sat for a moment shaking the mud from his hands.

"Old man handicap!" He heard Carlisle yelled back over the thundering storm before he completely disappeared from sight.

"Old man handicap my ass."

Jasper slid in the sticky slick mud until he finally caught his footing and took off after Carlisle completely caught up in the game and for the first time in weeks truly enjoying the time spent with his father**.**

* * *

**AN: **Happy Cinco De Mayo. May the tequila flow freely to those celebrating. ;-) It is also Easter for others and my best wishes to them as well, though I'm not so sure that tequila is appropriate for that one.

Sorry about the wait, folks. I entirely blame Carlisle for giving me a hard time and a monster case of writer's block. I knew what I wanted to do, but just couldn't seem to get the boys to work with me. Stubborn vampires. Made me feel like I was abandoning my baby. Can't have that.

Hopefully soon I will get the word "Papa" to come out of Jasper's mouth, but I am curious to see what he does when he faces Esme for the first time since his extended leave. Perhaps that is who the soldier really needs to help him atone.

Thank you all for sticking it out with me. Y'all do keep me focused and it means so very much. Special thanks to my tireless beta, Splinter. Each and every one of you guys just rock my world. *hugs*


	27. Just One of The Boys

The crash of a falling shelf behind him caused Carlisle to cringe as he stood next to his son and faced one very irate Carmen.

"Carmen, I can explain."

"Really, Carlisle? Really? Because somehow I doubt that there can be any explanation for this." She waved her hand indicating the wreckage of what had once been her craft room. "Did a tornado touchdown in my workroom while we were out hunting? Some supremely destructive Act of God is the only thing that I can think of that might explain what happened in here."

The Spanish spitfire folded her arms as she glared at the two men who were covered from head to foot in smears of potter's clay and paint giving them the appearance of being members of some fair haired aboriginal tribe.

Purple paint streaked Carlisle's hair and ran down his face to mix with the rainbow of colors soaked into the tattered strips of fabric that had once been a shirt. His khaki slacks were ripped in several places and stained in a variety of earth tones courtesy of the clay, but the most striking feature appeared to be the lime green hand-prints that highlighted his filthy form.

Jasper stood beside Carlisle with his head hanging low as he absolutely stubbornly refused to make eye contact with the highly agitated petite brunette. Various colors of paint speckled his clay matted hair. He was bare chested, his shirt long forgotten and bunched in a muddy heap in a far corner. A slash of brilliant rose latex crossed his chest from shoulder to hip like a sash interrupted here and there by the crusty drying earth.

Noting his rather lopsided stance, Carmen suddenly realized that Jasper's right foot was bare. A quick scan of the rubble led to the discovery of the soldier's boot wedged firmly in a hole in the wall.

"¡Ay carajo! How does one explain that?"

"It was an accident," Carlisle softly offered.

"An accident?" She took a stride towards him which made the larger man cower ever so slightly. "You accidentally rolled in mud? My paints came to life accidentally to fly off the shelves and spill over everything including the two of you? Jasper accidentally had his foot viciously attacked by the wall and was forced to leave his boot behind as he secured his freedom before being devoured? Am I on the right track of these ACCIDENTS?!"

Carlisle glanced away as he drew a deep breath; his mind racing to find a decent explanation.

"Well, Carmen, you see it was like this..."

"It was my fault."

"Your fault, Jasper? All of this was your doing?" Carmen raised a brow as she continued to stare hard at Carlisle before shifting her gaze to the boy.

"We were a might bored, so I thought that it would be fun to show Carlisle how to turn pottery. Didn't seem like it would be that big of a deal, but I guess that I forgot to tell him to mind how fast he spun that wheel. The clay got away from him, some things got smashed and one thing just led to another. It really was an accident."

Carlisle cleared his throat drawing Carmen's attention back to himself.

"Jasper, don't lie to protect me," the elder admonished lightly before meeting the woman's dark eyes. "It started as an accident, Carmen, which was all my fault. Jasper did tell me not to kick the wheel too hard, but I didn't listen. I thought that I knew better and that I could control it. Apparently, I grossly overestimated my skill.

The clay blank shot off like a rocket and slammed into Jasper's chest knocking him into the shelves and spilling the paint. For some reason, the sight of him seemed hilarious at the time and I couldn't stop myself from laughing. Naturally, Jasper took a bit of offense to me laughing at him and he threw the clay back at me then one thing led to another. I think the only real casualty was the kick wheel itself, but we'll get you a new one."

Carmen's eyes widened as she looked over at her potter's wheel which now leaned awkwardly to the side; it's shaft snapped in two and the flywheel cracked.

Picking her way carefully through the wreckage, Carmen look down at her fallen wheel with a sadness that caused Jasper to shudder. Lovingly, she ran her hand over the flywheel and inhaled deeply before turning back to Carlisle who noticed his cousin quivering slightly with what he could only assume was anger.

"You can't get me a new one," she hissed quietly through tightly clenched teeth. "This was a gift from Eleazar which was made by his own hands. It's irreplaceable."

Jasper groaned softly as Carmen's anger crashed over him like a raging inferno.

"I didn't know, Carmen. I do truly apologize for your loss, but Jasper and I will find a way to make it up to you."

"How? How do you think that it is even possible for you to do that?"

"We'll get the materials and help Ele fix the parts that are broken. It can be fixed, Carmen. Give us a chance to show you what we can do."

"I believe that I have already seen what you can do, Carlisle and it is totally unacceptable."

"Carmen?"

She glanced at the Major who had finally raised his head to meet her eyes.

"Ya can't begin ta know how sorry we are fer what happened. We'll make it right by ya. Jest give us a chance."

"Sweet Santa Maria. What happened in here?"

The soft masculine voice from the doorway drew the attention of the room's occupants.

Carmen swiftly rounded on Eleazar. "And you! You deal with them. It's for you to handle."

"Wait. What? How did I get involved?"

"You are the acting head of this house so it is your duty to make sure that those two stay in line."

"What?! No." He put his hands up. "I did not apply for that job. I am in no way qualified."

"Did you or did you not tell Carlisle that you would look after Jasper?"

"You know the answer to that, Mi Amor."

"And did that care not include discipline if necessary?"

"Si, but I don't think here it is necessary." Eleazar stepped into the room and winced as he viewed the full scope of the damage. Heaving a sigh, he crossed his arms over his chest and gave Carlisle and Jasper each a stern look in turn. "What have you to say for yourselves?"

The question was met by a chorus of apologies and promises to clean and repair the room along with it's furnishings. Of course all was followed by the reassurance that nothing of this nature would ever befall their Denali home away from home again.

Nodding his head just once abruptly, Eleazar turned back to his mate as his stance softened.

"See, my Love? They promise not to do anything like this again and will fix what has been destroyed. The lesson is learned. There is no need of punishment. It will not happen again."

Carmen took a breath and held it for a moment as she calmed herself before gently unfolding her mate's arms to allow her to take one of his hands between hers. Looking up into his soft golden eyes she spoke quietly.

"And if it does, Cariño? What then? You would be forced to deal more harshly with them for broken promises as well as broken furniture and walls. Ask Carlisle what would happen in his house if his children showed the same disregard for their home and the things that belong to others. The idea was to give Jasper space, but also to make his environment as normal and stable as possible. We still look away when we can, but this... this is not something that should be ignored."

Eleazar sighed as the validity of his wife's words became harder and harder to ignore. "But Carlisle."

"Carlisle said that he wanted to be treated no differently from his boy. This is to be a learning experience for them both. If you are unwilling to teach when the need arises, how is he to learn?"

Jasper leaned close to Carlisle and whispered, "You know Carmen is great and all, but I wish she was a little more like Esme."

"That makes two of us." The elder blonde nodded in agreement.

Carmen briefly shot the two troublemakers a hard glare that silenced their whispering, before she glanced back at her mate.

"It is the right thing to do, querido mío. You know that I'm speaking the truth."

"Si, mi amor, but knowing the truth doesn't make the task any less difficult."

With a heavy heart, the dark Spaniard sighed before turning his attention from his wife and onto the two men that he counted among his closest friends. "Carlisle, I think it best that you and Jasper shower and after come talk with me in the living room."

The Cullen patriarch felt a chill that caused him to shiver involuntarily. A searching glance at the soldier quietly standing next to him revealed a calm acceptance in the boy instead of the nervousness that Carlisle expected to find. This time the turbulent emotions belonged entirely to the elder himself.

Carlisle cleared his throat and suggested softly, "Don't you think it would be wiser if we cleaned up in here first? It seems rather pointless for us to wash up only to come back here later and end up grimy all over again as we put things to right."

The softest of snorts sounded next to him causing Carlisle to look over at his partner in crime. A smirk formed on Jasper's lips as he kept his head down, but shook it slowly.

"You've got a comment to add, Jasper?"

"Me? Nope. I've got nothing. You're doing fine right there on your own. Just seems that you've been taking lessons from Emmett, is all."

"What does that mean?"

Jasper looked up at his coven leader with a amused twinkle shimmering in his scarlet eyes.

"Carlisle, putting it off isn't going to make it hurt any less. How many times have you shared that bit of wisdom with us? Now you're trying to find a way to crawfish out of this one and as much as I would like you to succeed, I just don't see that happening. Have to say that at least you learned from the best. You would be hard pressed to find anyone more tenacious when it comes to trying to talk his way out of trouble than Em."

"I'm doing no such thing. It just makes more sense to straighten this up first," Carlisle softly countered in an indignant tone.

"Uh-huh. Keep reaching, Emmett Dale. You might catch that wisp of a reprieve yet."

Carlisle checked Jasper roughly with his shoulder and received a hardy shove in return. Slapping the back of the boy's head he quite suddenly found himself flat on his back on the dirt and paint covered floor as a bare foot swept his legs out from underneath him.

"This is a lesson that has been learned?" Carmen's voice rose just enough to be easily heard above the grunts and snarls of the minor skirmish.

Long strong fingers found purchase at the back of Jasper neck and pulled him off of Carlisle by the scruff while another hand latched onto what was left of Carlisle's collar to haul him to his feet.

"That will be enough." Eleazar's low rumbling growl took the combatants by surprise and they immediately stilled. "Here I argue for leniency for you two while you just have to go and try to find any reason at all to prove Carmen correct. One would think that you cherished a beating. Well let me tell you, if I had a belt on right now..."

"Here." Carmen had taken the shoulder strap of off her leather craft bag and had it doubled over in the hand that she held out towards her mate.

Eleazar's eyes widened as he looked down at the formidable piece of riveted hide so freely brandished in his beloved's hand.

"I... I... ah... hmmm." His mind reeled as he tried to make sense of what was happening then it suddenly locked down on what he hoped was a reasonable response. "I would take it, but you see my hands are currently full."

"Then you hold them and I'll do it."

"No no no no no! You said it yourself; this is for me to do. I am the head of the house and I will maintain order one way or the other. I would not see you endure such pressure or crumble under the guilt that comes from doing what must be done. No, Mi Amor, your hands are far too delicate to be forced to endure a task such as this."

Jasper slowly raised his head and gave Eleazar a sideways glance earning himself a firm shake in the process.

"Now, if I release you will you finally behave yourselves?"

Answers to the affirmative saw both Carlisle and Jasper freed from their host's controlling grip.

"Jasper, I expect better, but Carlisle... words... they escape me." Eleazar shook his head sadly. "I would have never thought that you would act like..."

"Eleazar, there was no malice in our..."

The Spaniard held his hand up effectively silencing his good friend.

"No. I'll not hear excuses at this time. Right now you will listen to me. Go shower and make yourselves presentable. I will be waiting on you and so help me, if I hear any horseplay going on down the hall..." Taking the strap from his mate, Eleazar cracked it loudly against the outside of his calf then screwed his eyes tightly shut as he hissed a whispered,"Holy Mother."

Taking several deep breaths he surfed the cusp of the burning pain then blew the air out in a huff before opening his watery eyes to glare at that stunned blondes.

"You see that. If I hear any more fighting or playing roughly around; next time that will be applied to the seat of the problem. Are you understanding?"

"Yes, Sir, " Jasper replied in a subdued voice while Carlisle was contented to nod.

"Good. Now, go and be quick about it. I don't care to wait the day away."

The fair haired men slunk down the hall whispering amongst themselves. Some comment from the boy caused Carlisle to laugh and slap him on the back as they shared a moment that seemed a bit out of step with their current situation. Seeing their amiable interaction helped to put Eleazar a bit more at ease as he slumped against the broken pottery wheel and rubbed at the stinging streak on his leg.

"Not your most brilliant of ideas, Corazón." Carmen glanced down at her mate's leg. "Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"No, Love. I think it just has to dull in its own time. At least now I know what counts as too hard."

Carmen smiled while reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes.

"Are you sure that you are okay to do this?"

"Of course not, but if it is what is needed I will find a way." He lowered his head and closed his eyes as his mind wandered. Soft lips pressed gently against his forehead caused him to open his eyes once again to find himself staring into the loving eyes of his mate.

"They need this, Mi Tesoro. I know that it is going to be very hard for you, but you must trust that it is for the best. It will bring them closer together. You don't have to be too very hard on them. Just offer them the consequence that they expect and see what comes of it. You might just be surprised."

Eleazar's eyes narrowed slightly as he carefully considered his wife's words.

"You are not angry?"

"No. My feelings are hurt that my precious gift from you has been broken, but everything else is easily replaced. Also, I figured if the three of you can repair the wheel together, it will just be that much more special. A gift crafted by the hands of the men that I hold dear."

Carmen leaned in and kissed her mate passionately, but as she pulled away she noticed an odd look remaining on his face.

"What's wrong, Mi Amor?"

"You planned this?"

"Not in the least. How do you think I could manage to set up such a thing? No, Ele. I am only taking advantage of the situation that has presented itself."

Eleazar eyed her skeptically.

"Trust me. Give it a chance to work." She began to back but stopped as she cocked her head to the side in thought. Reaching out she took her husband's hand and turned it palm side up. Massaging it lightly with her thumbs she held his gaze as she whispered, "Use this instead of that." With a tilt of the head she indicated the strap laying discarded on the potter's wheel. "You will have better control and know that you won't be too hard. Keep the strap with you though. It gives them something to think about and I would suggest ending their spankings with two or three mild strokes from it. Put them in the proper mindset and let them know that they really are accountable for their behavior."

"How do you know these things?"

"Because I'm smart. That is why you married me, isn't it?"

Quickly closing his hand, he caught hers and brought it to his lips.

"Te adoro. You make my life complete and I would be lost without you. That is why I married you." Pulling his mate into him, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply before pulling away. "What would I ever do without you?"

"I shudder to think." Carmen smiled impishly as she slipped out of his arms. "There are a few things that I can do to keep myself busy. Showers should not take long so you better put your fierce face on and prepare yourself to deal with those naughty boys."

"Like this?' He bared his teeth and growled low causing Carmen to laugh.

"Just be yourself, Lover. You cannot go wrong with that."

A quick kiss to his cheek and the love of his life disappeared leaving Eleazar alone in the demolished room.

With a sigh, he pushed himself away from the wheel and began to sort through the mess. Tossing out what could not be salvaged, he mechanically went about cleaning up the boys' folly in an attempt to keep his mind off of what he must do.

_Carlisle, why do this to me? I pray Carmen is right. Should this destroy our friendship, I will never be able to forgive myself._ Dislodging the boot from the wall he shook his head. _Though if anyone has ever deserved punishment, it would be you two. _

* * *

Wrapped in a light terry cloth bathrobe that would have made Alice disown him, Carlisle padded back towards his room as his mind spun wildly. He had hoped that the shower would have relaxed him, but the effect appeared to be just the opposite as he grew ever closer to the conclusion of a predicament he never thought he would find himself in.

With his hand on the door knob, he leaned his head against the cool wood and closed his eyes.

_I don't know that I can go through with this. Esme is one thing, but Eleazar is another entirely. I'm just not certain that I can bend my will to his. He is one of my oldest most trusted friends, and I know that he would never hurt me, but this shouldn't be. I know that he is just as nervous as I am, but that doesn't really matter considering that it is my tail on the line. _He sighed softly. _My tail on the line because I got careless. I knew better. Carmen is right. If this had occurred at home I would have had no problem at all calling the culprits on the carpet, so why should I expect a different outcome when I am the culprit? If I would punish my children, then how can I not expect the same to be done to me? Because I am the Leader. ... Something that I've told Esme time and again made no difference. I should be held to the same rules as everyone else, I just never thought that it would ever come to this._

Another deep breath in an attempt to calm himself and Carlisle opened the door to find Jasper sitting on his bed. The Major looked grim, but his body hardly seemed tense as he sat with his head slightly bowed and his hands folding in his lap. Dressed in black jeans, a royal blue shirt and dark gray waist coat, he looked more like he was dressed for a night out on the town instead of a date with a strap. The one thing missing caused Carlisle to grin in spit of himself; Jasper was barefoot.

"Didn't pack your running shoes?"

"Just rather wear my boots. Easier to slide them on and off."

"You could always get a pair of loafers and save you the trouble of laces."

Jasper followed Carlisle's glance towards the fine leather shoes sitting near the dresser and shook his head.

"No thanks. I aint that old yet."

"Hey! Watch who you call old. You know you're not as young as you used to be either."

"At least I don't wear loafers."

Carlisle shook his head and grinned before collecting the clothes that he had already laid out on the foot of the bed. After quickly slipping into the soft black knit slacks and yanking a turquoise shirt over his head, the leader walked over to Jasper and placed a hand lightly on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for my part in getting us into this mess. I should have known... no, I did know better. I don't know what got into me."

"You're getting a chance to be one of the boys for a change and that can be a bit intoxicating. I know I lose quite a bit of my common sense when Edward, Emmett and I get to having fun. Case in point; Fourth of July." Jasper rolled his eyes at the memory of the exploding greenhouse. "It just happens that way. Probably something to do with combined testosterone or whatever passes for it in our systems. Doesn't explain why the girls do what they do though."

"I don't think anyone will ever be able to unravel that mystery." The doctor smiled as he ruffled the boy's still damp hair then took a seat next to him. "Nervous?"

"Not really. I guess a little, but ..."

"But what?"

"I don't know." Jasper exhaled in a sigh as he searched his hands for an answer. "It feels different than it does with you." The soldier looked up to meet Carlisle's eyes. "It's different having you with me on the other side of trouble for a change. I'm not fretting so much. I think it might be because I don't feel your disappointment like I usually do."

Carlisle closed his eyes and let his needless breath go. "I never realized that I projected that so strongly towards you. I never mean for you to be more uncomfortable than necessary."

"That is not your fault at all, Carlisle. You're emotions are honest reactions to the things that I do. Frankly, by the time I feel your disappointment, I'm so deeply disappointed in myself that a little more doesn't make that much of a difference."

Both men momentarily became lost in thought until Jasper spoke up again.

"I'm sorry that you are caught up in this, but it is a little easier to face when you have a friend by your side instead of having to go it alone."

A weight lifted from Carlisle's shoulders and he breathed a little easier as he reached out and gave his boy's knee a little squeeze.

"I'm proud to be by your side, Jasper, even if our futures are looking a little bleak."

Jasper smirked a bit. "It's not really our futures that are bleak; just the future of our backsides." He chuckled softly before a bit of darkness returned to his face. "I do feel awful about Eleazar though. He is being dragged into this just a kickin' and a screamin'. I believe this is gonna be a lot harder on him than on either of us. That's why I'm going to do my best not to struggle against him." Once more Jasper glanced up into Carlisle's eyes. "This time it's not my pride I'll be trying to protect."

The elder offered the boy a sad smile. "I wish that I had your courage right about now."

"Oh don't tell me that you're scared."

"I am, but it's not the punishment that I'm afraid of. I'm worried that I will do or say something that I will come to regret. Eleazar has been a great friend over the centuries. I don't want to think about how lonely I would have been had it not been for our chance meeting."

Carlisle drew a breath that he released slowly while he diligently worked to protect the boy from his swirling fear, grief, anger and regret.

"I don't know how I will react. I'm worried that I will lash out at him. Even if it is purely subconsciously, Ele will still be hurt. I fear that I could damage our relationship beyond repair."

Jasper thought for a moment before offering, "But you've submitted to punishment at Esme's hand without lashing out."

"That was different."

"Because you were still in charge."

Carlisle shook his head. "No. Not really anyway. Esme was in charge."

Jasper cocked a brow. "Only as much as you allowed her to be. I know that you still called the shots for the most part. You knew what you wanted and it was her job to fulfill your needs which she appeared to have done in spades."

The doctor smiled slightly and gave a nod.

"Now this is completely out of your control."

"It is and it worries me. I know that he would never hurt either of us, but I can't say the same about myself towards him."

Carlisle rested his elbows on his knees while interlacing his fingers and folded his hands as if in pray before bowing his head to pinch the bridge of his nose firmly between his thumbs. The touch of a hand on his back brought his head back up to find his boy watching him with a worried look.

"You won't hurt him or your relationship."

"You don't know if I will or won't."

"I can see to it that you don't."

The elder thought for a moment before shaking his head. "There will be no emotional manipulation. I cannot issue an order against it, but I can ask you not to interfere in such a way. That would be disrespectful towards Eleazar and who knows what would happen once the effect wears off."

"I wasn't thinking about manipulating, him. I'm offering to keep you calm so that you won't do anything rash that you might end up regretting. Let me help you, Carlisle. Friendships are too valuable to lose; especially over something silly that we can prevent."

Carlisle studied the boy as he weighed the possible outcomes. Jasper's earnest desire to help finally swayed his decision.

"Just calm my nerves and nothing else. Don't force submissiveness on me or anything of that nature. Let me handle myself, but just help me to do so in a calm manner."

Jasper smiled as he gave a slight nod just before a warm wave of peacefulness settled over Carlisle. "You are still entirely in control of your faculties. All I did was take the edge off."

The elder was surprised at how easily it was to focus now that his nerves were no longer a factor. The idea of submitting to his friend was still a troubling thought, but he felt more confident in his ability to handle the situation.

"Thank you, Jasper."

"It's always nice when I can use it to help someone. Makes it worthwhile."

Carlisle patted the boy's shoulder then glanced at the clock on the nightstand.

"I think that we've kept Eleazar waiting long enough, don't you?" The doctor got to his feet and offered the soldier a hand.

Allowing himself to be helped to his feet, Jasper smirked.

"Well, I'll tell ya, my behind is all about waiting a little longer, but dragging it out only makes things worse. Your nerves. Eleazar's nerves. Carmen's temper." The Major rolled his eyes. "I thought my days of being reprimanded by fiery exotic women was a thing of the past. Seems I was gravely mistaken."

"I don't think that is something you will ever completely escape."

"Damn. I guess I need to brush up on my charm."

Carlisle laughed as he caught Jasper in a headlock and ruffled up his hair. "That charm can be a dangerous thing."

Pushing the leader off, the boy smirked. "Only when used by a novice."

"Then I will leave the charming to you." Opening the door, Carlisle allowed Jasper to exit first before following close behind. "Let's see how it works on Eleazar."

"Oh sure. Just set me up to fail, why don't ya?"

He gave the elder a little shove, but both men found themselves becoming serious as they reached the end of the hall and stopped.

"Ready?" Carlisle's tone was not as confident as he would have liked it to be.

"No, but it's not like I much of a choice in the matter. Might as well just get it over with."

The Cullen boys made their way into the living room to face the consequences of their misbehavior before their courage could falter, but the sight of the strap across Eleazar's knee as he sat in front of the fire filled Carlisle with an unexpected dread.

"Are you alright?" Jasper's whispered question dripped with concern as he touched Carlisle's arm and felt him tremble.

The elder held up a hand to the boy as he bowed his head and covered his eyes while fighting to slow his spontaneous rapid breathing.

Jasper clasped his hands in front of him and drew a deep breath to calm himself as he unleashed wave after crushing wave of calm onto Carlisle. Seconds that felt more like days ticked away before the doctor finally raised his head. Swallowing back the bitter venom that threatened to strangle him, Carlisle did his best to smile in an attempt to alleviate the boy's worries.

"I'm alright."

"You don't look alright. You look like you're going to be sick." Jasper narrowed his eyes slightly as he carefully scanned his leader.

"I feel like I need to vomit even though I know that's impossible." Carlisle swallowed again then cleared his throat. "Looks like my nerves were just a little stronger than your gift this time."

"That wasn't a case of nerves, Carlisle."

"Yes it was, but I'm better now. Come on. The sooner we're done here the sooner I'll be able to relax."

Jasper hung back a bit watching Carlisle walk over towards his old friend before finally joining him.

"Carlisle, is everything okay with you?" Eleazar pinned the elder blonde with a watchful eye.

"Fine."

"What was that?"

"Bad memory triggering a nervous reaction. It really was nothing to worry about and thanks to Jasper's help it's past."

The Spaniard looked no more convinced than the Major, but he sighed softly and allowed the explanation to stand for the time being.

Tilting his head towards the sofa, Eleazar quietly began. "Go take a seat. We need to discuss what happened and how we are going to stop it happening again. I freely admit that I have no idea how to do this and I truthfully hate the position that you two have put me in. I would be happy to forget this childishness occurred, but there must be a price paid for your destructiveness."

Removing the strap from it's place on his lap to drape across the arm of the chair, Eleazar stood and paced before the fire.

"Do you realize that you two have accomplished the impossible? You have managed to anger Carmen to an extent that I have never seen. That is some talent, my friends; a talent that I wish had remained undiscovered. It is for Carmen that I seek satisfaction from your behinds."

"Perhaps Carmen can be satisfied with just the idea that we have been punished," Carlisle offered in a whisper.

"What's that?"

Blowing out his breath, the elder leaned back and crossed his legs as he began to explain.

"We know that what we did was wrong and it will never happen again. There really is no reason that any of us needs to go through with this ritual apart from reassuring Carmen that our lesson has been learned. You don't want to whip us and we don't cherish the idea of being whipped, so let's not and say we did."

Eleazar cocked a brow while Jasper gaped at Carlisle in shock.

"Carlisle, even if I take you out to the garage to punish you, Carmen will be in ear shot. She would know that no hand had been laid on you."

"Use the strap on something apart from us. Hit the chair instead. It will sound as though you were giving us a thorough thrashing and Carmen would be none the wiser."

"Oh hell no."

Carlisle glanced over at Jasper who was shaking his head.

"It doesn't work like that, Carlisle. I get that your nerves are frayed, but you aint gettin' out of this like that. If it was me and Emmett that screwed up and you were the one in Eleazar's boots, are you tellin' me that you would fake it and let us walk? Yeah, I didn't think so. Where do you come up with this sort of thing? You really have been spending too much time with Emmett, haven't you?"

The boy was right, but Carlisle could feel the panic welling up inside again telling him that he could not survive this. Human memories of abuse flooded his mind and caused an anger to churn deep inside. The cutting sting of a lash that caused his blood to flow and the sound of his anguished cries caused his slumbering beast to crack open an eye as it slowly stirred to life. Newer memories of gaining the displeasure of the Brothers in Volterra and the severe beating that followed caused the monster within to roar its demand to be set free. Carlisle knew that had to control it, but felt helpless to do so. Over and over again he reminded himself that is was Eleazar, his kind hearted friend, and not his father or Caius who would issue the punishment. He and his boy would remain safe. There was no reason to feel this need to defend himself, but the words were meaningless to the beast who only tugged harder against the chains that bound it.

"Carlisle. Carlisle, look at me."

Jet black eyes finally locked onto the sparkle of brilliant crimson allowing Jasper to rescue him from his thoughts.

"I can't do this, Jasper. I thought that I could, but I can't."

"It's okay, Carlisle. You don't have to." Jasper looked up at Eleazar and tried to soothe his distress along with Carlisle's. The entire room issued a collective sigh as it was washed in calm relaxation. Once the soldier felt the Spaniard's anxiety unwind, he caught Eleazar's eye and spoke softly. "I will stand in for him."

"No, Jasper," the elder blonde protested, but the boy's voice grew firmer.

"Yes, Carlisle. I can do this and you won't change my mind. Our actions are always followed by consequences, both good and bad. Life has taught me that and you have reminded me of the fact often enough. In all fairness, what we did does deserve to be punished. I knew that I deserved a lickin' for tearing up the house and I can't say that I was surprised when it came up. Shoot, I still think I'm owned one for putting my fist through the wall the second day I was here. It's not the end of the world. Justice just needs to be met out and I will pay for both of our screw ups. You are already suffering enough and it will bother me more to watch you put yourself through this needlessly than it will bother me to just take the whipping."

The doctor was struck speechless by the boy's willingness to sacrifice himself on his behalf. His mind reeled again, but this time it focused on Jasper and the words and actions that had transpired recently between him and his son. He had hurt his soldier boy badly and Jasper had retaliated in kind, but beneath the harsh words and rejection stood a foundation built on love and respect that the doctor now realized had never wavered.

He watched mutely as Jasper left the sofa and bravely walked over to Eleazar without a moment's hesitation. Much to Carlisle's amusement and slight dismay, the boy appeared to be offering his disciplinarian advice on proper application of a strap as he corrected the Spaniard's grip.

The world appeared to move in slow motion and a fuzziness settled over Carlisle as he watched the drama before him unfold like some strange movie he had no part in. Jasper continued to offer a few more tidbits of advice that had Eleazar nodding before he and the boy moved over to stand next to the glass coffee table in front of the couch. Bending over to place his hands flat against the smooth surface, the soldier's shoulders rose and fell in the cadence of a sigh before he gave a nod that he was ready to begin. It was at the moment that Eleazar raised his hand that Carlisle was suddenly tossed back into the real world fully aware of what he had to do.

Catching Eleazar's wrist on the down stroke, Carlisle answered his friend's confused stare with a shake of his head.

"No. I am the oldest which makes me the most responsible for this debacle. I go first."

* * *

**AN: **Had not realized that it had been a month since I updated Dark Justice. I have been working on a few other things, but it has come to my attention that my slacker ways will not be tolerated so I'm already working on the next part and should have it up soon. Felt wrong to leave the boys just hanging like that anyway.

A huge thanks to all of you who continue to follow my little tale. There are a couple more things that I have to do before I can draw DJ to a close, but with the relationship rebuilding the worst is truly over. Now I can start thinking about new story ideas. Eleazar has won my heart so I really want to do something with him and Carmen. They have kept me far too entertained to let them slip away.

As always, special thanks to my marvelous beta, Splinter, who also is tired of my slacker ways. My goodness, but y'all really do keep me on my toes. ;-)


	28. Mending Bridges

"Come on, Jasper. Get yourself up and go sit on the couch."

The youth glanced over his shoulder at the older men, but did not break his position.

"Carlisle, I've already told you that you are not going to change my mind so you might as well just go back to your room and lay down for a while. I really think that you should use this time to decompress. You don't need to put yourself or Eleazar through the added stress. There is no reason for it."

"Yes there is," Carlisle muttered softly. "I will not allow you to shoulder the burden of my actions. You've done that far too often as it is. In this we are equally at fault and I will not see you punished alone."

"And I won't see you or your relationship with Ele damaged so it appears that we are at a stalemate."

Carlisle thought for a moment before he patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Well, Ele if Jasper won't move I guess there is only one path left for us to take."

"Si, Mi Amigo." Eleazar nodded, but a puzzled expression shown brightly in his eyes.

"Let's go in the kitchen. We can make use of the table in there and then you can come back in here to finish up with the Major's stubborn hide."

Jasper swiftly stood up and placed his hands on his hips while narrowing his eyes at his leader.

Ignoring the indignant look that the soldier was giving them, Eleazar caved to Carlisle's suggestion. "Ah, yes, the kitchen. I seem to recall something said about wooden spoons. I believe Carmen has one that she painted a bunny on. It just sits in a drawer. We might as well put that to use."

Despite the seriousness of the moment, Jasper found it impossible to suppress a snort of laughter. "A bunny?"

The Spaniard nodded. "I do not ask because often I find that I really did not want to know in the first place."

"It doesn't matter, my friend." Carlisle offered gently. "A wooden spoon is no match for our hard hide. You're just going to have to bring that strap with you."

"I like the idea of spoons better. It seems less cruel and how much harm could a bunny do anyway?" Eleazar groused as he reached over and gathered the slender leather implement from its resting place. "A cow on the other hand. The words stampede and trample come to the mind."

"In you hand, I'm certain that a cow can't cause any real damage."

"Hmmph."

"For the love of God! Fine, Carlisle. Since you are so dead set on this, you come here and take my place for the time being. I don't want you going off where I can't be of assistance if either of you need it. Damn it, but you are stubborn."

"Something else that I've learned from my children."

Carlisle offered Jasper a smile, but the Major's hard glare caused the expression to quickly fade.

The soldier stalked over to the chair recently vacated by Eleazar and slumped down in it with a frustrated huff as he unsuccessfully attempted to reel in his annoyance.

With the air electrified by Jasper's exasperation, Eleazar gave a shudder before glancing from the elder to the boy and back again. "That went well." He sighed inwardly before adding softly, "Now that that has been settled..." With a flourish of his hand, the disciplinarian motioned towards the coffee table directing Carlisle to take Jasper's abandoned spot.

Carlisle strode over to the table with an air of confidence that he didn't feel, but which he vehemently tried to project towards Jasper. Taking a deep breath, he spread his feet slightly to gain better balance before leaning down and placing his palms securely on the thick sheet of glass. Releasing the trapped air, the elder Cullen closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm ready when you are."

A quiet cough from near the fireplace interrupted the scene before it could begin.

"Forget somethin' there, Carlisle?"

Shifting slightly he glanced back behind himself at the boy. "I don't believe so."

"Hmm. What about those pants? Seems to me that back home in a similar circumstance I wouldn't be sportin' ..."

"Oh no." The dark haired Spaniard crossed his arms and shook his head violently. "I will carry out these punishments, but I will be damned if there are going to be naked asses on display in my living room. I am sorry, but here is where the line is drawn."

"That wasn't exactly how far I was suggesting, Cuz. Most of the time, unless we have done something dreadfully bad, we do get to keep our drawers up so we're not talkin' nekkid butts here; just an underwear fashion show. That will make things a little easier for you as well since you won't have to use as much force to make your point."

"I don't care. That is a little too... intimate for me. I'm sure that I can whack hard enough to overcome the defense of fabric."

"Besides, Jasper, I didn't see you willing to part with your jeans just now when it was you who was bent over," Carlisle stated softly but with conviction.

" 'twas different. I was taken a wallopin' for two."

"So now each gets a wallopin' for one and as the person in charge here, I say pants stay on." Eleazar nodded decisively as he shot Jasper a look that challenged the boy to contradict him because then he would feel justified in calling this insanity off.

Seemingly somehow aware of that fact, the Major humbly lowered his head instead in acceptance of his cousin's decree.

Finding no further objection from the youth, Eleazar gave a single nod.

"Better. Now let us see if we can complete this sorry undertaking without further interruption so we can call it a day."

The Spaniard awkwardly sidled up to his friend's left side and placed a hand on Carlisle's lower back for just a second before pulling it away. Closing his eyes, the dark haired elder swallowed hard to clear his throat before gingerly replacing the steadying hand while raising the other just above his shoulder level then let it fall back down at his side.

"Madre de Dios!"

"It's alright, Eleazar. You're doing fine. Just take a breath," Carlisle encouraged quietly.

"I think you're wrong, Carlisle and I know what the problem is. I am clueless as to what I'm doing. Apparently I was an angelic child instead of a chico travieso like you two because I have no reference for this. I don't believe I was ever in trouble as a muchachito."

The still figure near the fire snickered softly. "I'm willing to bet money that you raised some hell and paid for it pretty dearly. There is a scoundrel in you, Ele. I can see him lurking just beneath that genteel exterior. It's just the amnesia from the change that makes you think that you were so saintly."

Jasper stood and walked a little ways further away from his elders before crooking a finger to call Eleazar over to him.

"Jasper, you have already tried to educate me. I don't see the point in another attempt."

"There are a few more tricks that I need to teach you, Perro Viejo."

"Perro?" Eleazar cocked a brow as he patted Carlisle's back to encourage his friend to stand while he walked over towards the soldier.

"I would get onto him about calling you old as well." Carlisle smiled slightly as he sat down on the table to watch what transpired between his executioner and his cohort. "Jasper, I don't know how smart that move was when it's your tail that will be in the cross-hairs next."

"Just callin' 'em as I see 'em. You just worry about your tail and let me see to mine."

As Carlisle looked on, Jasper spoke to Eleazar in a whisper that was even too low for the patriarch's sensitive hearing which had his old friend responding in kind often with a shake of his head that Jasper eventually turned into a nod. The entire interaction took mere moments, but it appeared to the doctor that a great deal of ground had been covered in that period of time and a new sense of confidence seemed to have taken hold of his soft hearted companion.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, he called out to Jasper, "Are you using your gift, young man?"

"With my permission, Carlisle, but only slightly to ease the nerves. Your boy is a good teacher which helps to lessen anxiety even without his God given power. He did not tell me how to handle himself, but he is a wealth of information when it comes to handling you."

Eleazar gave his old friend a half smile as he waved Jasper back towards his seat before striding to where the doctor sat.

"Up up up, Carlisle. Turn around and retake your position. Let's not draw this out." _Least I lose my nerve._

Sliding off his perch, the blonde elder once again found himself with his fingers splayed out against the hard unyielding glass surface. Carlisle stared at his reflection in the table top and issued a soft sigh as he waited. Eleazar carefully wrapped a steadying arm around his friend's waist and pulled him tightly against his hip to secure him as per Jasper's suggestion.

The boy had shared with his cousin the fact that Carlisle would be more comfortable if he had contact during this dreadful event. According to the soldier, whenever Carlisle was the one dealing out punishment he made sure to maintain close contact with the miscreant to let them know that he was there for them. It stood to reason that he would appreciate, if not actually require, the same level of care if he was expected to endure his turn under the lash.

Jasper reasoned that this need probably came from his leader's past experiences in his youth. It was very doubtful that Carlisle's father would have offered any emotional support at all when corrections were deemed necessary since it was a well known fact that none was offered after. From his own memory, Eleazar knew that the only touch Carlisle had received during his fall from grace in Volterra had come in the form of the rough restraining hands of the guard and the punishing blows of the sjambok. _No comfort could ever be ferreted out of that travesty._

Jasper's analysis made sense and the extra insight helped Eleazar form a more suitable plan. If executed correctly, Carlisle would receive the benefit of resolution that comes from an act of loving discipline, without being catapulted back in time where the same circumstance would have resulted in only suffering and abandonment. Eleazar would never allow his friend to suffer needlessly if there was any way at all to prevent it.

Glancing over his shoulder, the Spaniard inquired gently, "Are you sure that this is what you want, Carlisle? You know I will not force you to see this through and no one will think any less of you. There are other methods of discipline..."

"I'm sure, Eleazar. Now please, just... just do it. The waiting is making me jittery."

That blessed warm wave of serenity came again washing over them to take the edge off of both men's nerves; something that they were very grateful for.

Carlisle closed his eyes and attempted to concentrate on the breath flowing in and out of his body whose only purpose was to provide a hypnotizing measure. Having been in Eleazar's position far too many times to recall, the doctor could easily recognize and interpret each motion of his friend's body. He clearly visualized the action in his mind's eye as Eleazar shifted his weight with the rising of his hand. A slight twist foretelling its fall had Carlisle gritting his teeth in anticipation of a harsh blow that never quite came.

"Eleazar? I know that it's not my place to be critical, but... what was that?"

At his question, Carlisle heard Jasper choke on a strangled chuckle.

"It's a spanking, Carlisle. That is what this whole song and dance is about. No?"

"My friend, that wouldn't even qualify as a love tap. I'm afraid that you're going to have to put a little more muscle behind it, if you want this to work."

There was a silent pause before the Spaniard answered in a whisper, "I don't want to hurt you."

Carlisle swallowed hard as two words formed in his mind, but it was at the moment that they crossed his lips that he suddenly realized he truly believed them. "You won't."

He heard the slow release of Eleazar's breath followed by a mumbled, "A moment, Carlisle."

A volley of three rapid fire cracks, each increasing in volume, shattered the near silence causing Carlisle and Jasper both to jump before the doctor once again heard the soft accented voice mutter under his breath, "Ay, Dios mío."

The shaking of his confidant's body was proof that Carlisle's immediate suspicion had been correct. Still he questioned, "Working out your strength?"

"Si." Eleazar ground his teeth as he rapidly rubbed his thigh to chase off the sting. "And I find that my hand and leg both hurt now."

Clearing his throat, Ele locked his arm around the doctor's waist and without another word brought his hand down sharply upon Carlisle's vulnerable behind.

The elder blonde grunted and his body stiffened, but when a voice cautiously queried, "Are you alright?", he nodded and released his breath in a soft gust.

"That hurt."

"I thought that was the idea."

"It is, but it still hurt."

"No more complaints about love taps then?"

"Nope."

"Bueno. Then let us begin."

Carlisle gasped as Eleazar's hand came down hard once again kindling a fire on his backside. It had taken his friend several minutes of trial and error, but eventually he found a strength and rhythm that suited him well for the job at hand. Now to his dismay, the Cullen patriarch was beginning to feel very much like a well chastened naughty little boy.

Pressed firmly against the Spaniard's side, Carlisle found it a bit easier to allow the pain to ebb and flow through him instead of struggling against it. Venom tears blurred his vision, but he quickly blinked them away for fear of causing added distress to his friend by such a show of emotion.

Suddenly, a sharp swat brought him up on his toes causing him to ball up his fists against the glass.

"Do you think that you've learned your lesson now, Carlisle?"

"Yessss," he hissed through clenched teeth as yet another firm swat caught him low along the edge of his right cheek.

"I truly don't want to have to ever do this again."

"I ...couldn't.. agree.. more," the doctor managed to respond between the powerful strokes that collided with his roasted rear end.

"This really is hurting me more than it's hurting you."

"Somehow ...I... doubt that."

Carlisle stamped his foot in an effort to ward off the stinging burn, but was rewarded by a swat to the back of each thigh which took his breath away.

"Keep both feet on the ground, if you please." Eleazar shot a questioning expression towards the youth sitting quietly in the chair by the fireside. Jasper nodded in approval and felt Eleazar's apprehension diminish slightly.

"There will be no fighting or destruction of property. Wrestling matches will relocate themselves outside away from anything that can be harmed. I want you and Jasper to have fun and make the most of your time here together, but not at the expense of our home."

Carlisle nodded as a particularly biting blow rendered him speechless.

After a few more smacks to the meaty part of the doctor's well warmed rump, Eleazar stopped his attack and loosened his anchoring hold around Carlisle.

"Alright, my friend, I think this lesson has been mostly learned. Am I right?"

The eldest of the troublemakers drew a breath that filled his lungs then slowly released it as he nodded before adding softly, "This will not happen again, Eleazar. You have my word on that."

"That is gran, Carlisle. Now let us seal this with un pequeño incentivo for good measure."

Reaching out, Eleazar picked up the strap and, grasping the loose ends tightly in his palm, he coiled it around his fist until only a short length was left to hang freely.

"I think three will make the point remain."

The strap snapped lightly against the lower edged of the doctor's rump and Eleazar unexpectedly found himself stumbling a few feet before catching himself to turned back and find himself faced with a snarling Carlisle. Dropping the strap, he held both hands up and watched as the enraged vampire's eyes darkened.

"We're done here, Carlisle. Acabado. No más."

Jasper was between the men in a blink, shielding Eleazar from his coven leader.

"Carlisle, stop. You have to listen to me and find a way to compose yourself. There is only so much that I can do on my own. Look at me, Carlisle. Look here. You're okay. You're not in any danger. There is no reason to defend yourself. Calm down. Eleazar did not harm you. He never would. You know that. He's not like your father. He's a good man and a loyal friend."

Carlisle continued to glare at the tall dark male who had just attacked him and gave a deep rumbling growl of warning.

"Don't look at him. Look at me."

As the vampire crouched to attack Jasper tried the only thing that he could think of that might reach the man locked within the beast.

"Papa, please don't do this." His voice was incredibly soft but urgent. "You and Ele have been friends for too long. Don't take a chance on throwing that away. You know him. You trust him. He is nothing like those others who have hurt you. You cannot find a kinder soul with the exception of the one in you. Don't do this. You have to listen to me, Papa and stop before you end up forced to live with regrets like I do. I don't want that for you. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy so I sure as hell won't see it happen to someone I love."

For a second those onyx eyes flared with pure hatred for the man standing behind the boy then they closed and Carlisle turned away moments before his legs gave out bringing him to his knees. A few tears leaked from the tightly closed eyes to roll down his cheeks as his body shuddered from the surging shame and remorse.

"You're okay, Papa." Jasper knelt next to his grieving father and embraced him. "Hush and just listen to the sound of my voice. I have you and I won't let anything hurt you. Nothing has happened for you to feel this way. You have to let it go. Eleazar is fine. Granted, he is in a mild state of shock right now, but he's good. There was no harm done."

Jasper rested his cheek against the top of Carlisle's bowed head as he looked up into Eleazar's wide eyes and smiled to try to relieve the man's concerns. Lifting his head for a second, he tipped it towards floor encouraging his cousin to join them.

Quietly, Eleazar sat down next to Carlisle and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Your boy is right, Carlisle. You have done nothing wrong. The fault here lies in me. I didn't realize that I had pushed so hard and I regret that. You have to remember that I'm new to all of this. This is a first for me and also, I pray, a last. I'm sorry that I made you feel this way. I told Carmen that I was not qualified for this job and now see what happened? I was right not that she would ever admit it. One of these days that woman will learn to listen to me." Looking over at Jasper, Eleazar smiled and winked.

"Ha. Good luck with that. You know how these women get. Think they know everything and won't even give what we say a second thought."

"You realize that I am still in the house and can hear you?" Carmen's voice called out from upstairs making the soldier chuckle.

"Now see that, Papa. Eleazar has gone and gotten himself in trouble. He must be wantin' to join our exclusive club. Shame on him for going bad and ticking Carmen off like that. He'll be in the dog house yet."

"I believe that it was your comment that my love took offense to, Jasper."

Carlisle's hand unexpectedly shot out and grasped Eleazar's forearm, taking his friend by surprise. After the initial shock passed, the Spaniard placed his hand over the blonde's and gave it a little pat.

Slowly the doctor raised his head to meet Eleazar's gaze with a sad expression darkening his features. "This is not your fault. You could not have known, but I should have. I knew that a strapping was going to be a problem the moment we came in the room and I saw you with it. The minute that I panicked I knew. I should have said something and saved you this grief."

"A bit of a warning would have been nice, but I could have put that together if I had been just a little more observant."

Carlisle sighed and lowered his gaze while shaking his head sadly.

"Si, Carlisle." The golden eyed brunette cupped a comforting hand behind his friends neck and ducked his head a bit to catch the doctor's eyes. "What cannot be cured must be endured, yes?"

"Si."

Eleazar smiled gently at his old friend. "You have endured much in life, both this one and before, so I know that you are unfamiliar with this concept of being able to change your circumstance, but when you can fix something for the love of God do it. Do not hold your fool tongue with me. If I say or do anything at all that makes you uncomfortable, let me know. I never want you to feel this way again; most certainly not if I'm the cause."

"I could have hurt you."

The whispered statement was voiced so low that had he not seen Carlisle's lips move, Eleazar was sure that he would have missed it.

"That is a possibility, but I very much doubt it. I'm more agile than you and I've always been faster. I am like a gazelle, sleek, fast and strong. You on the other hand... Well, Carlisle, I do hate to say it, but you're more like an old burro put to pasture; just shuffling along getting fat and lazy."

A faint smile tugged at the blonde's lips which served to broaden Eleazar's own grin.

"Ah, there we go. Now that is more like it." Eleazar gave Carlisle a little shake before releasing his hold. "Better? Still friends?"

"Always."

Turning his attention towards the boy who still held his shaken frame, Carlisle sighed.

"I always thought that it was my job to be the one to provide comfort."

"Hey, Chief, we all need a shoulder to lean on sometimes. I'm just glad that I was able to be here for you. You know it's not often that I get to use my powers for good. I kinda like the idea of being a super hero for a change instead of the super villain."

Carlisle allowed the boy to support most of his weight as he leaned into him and hugged him close.

"Never a villain, Jasper. Occasionally misguided, but never a villain."

"Hmm. I know a great many who would disagree with you on that if they were still kickin'."

"That was not your fault."

"Feels like it was, but at least now I get chances to redeem myself thanks to Alice." The soldier gave Carlisle's shoulder a squeeze. "And of course you."

A feeling of physical as well as mental exhaustion swept Carlisle as he bowed his head.

"Thank you, Son."

"Don't mention it, Papa."

Lifting his head, the physician gazed directly into the boy's ruby eyes and saw nothing there except the affection that he thought that he had lost, but which had never truly been extinguished. A heavy weight lifted from the physician's shoulders and he found himself completely overcome by emotion. Grabbing Jasper tightly, a sob of relief shook Carlisle as he lost his battle against his tears.

Jasper rocked the elder gently and rubbed his back in an effort to afford him comfort while marveling at the sudden role reversal. Quietly he whispered words of encouragement and reassurance as he struggled against the bombardment of strong emotions being released from the elder.

Feeling a bit like an outsider, Eleazar slowly got to his feet and removed himself a short distance away. Picking up the discarded strap, he rolled it up and was just placing it safely in the drawer of the end table next to his chair when a low soft voice stopped him.

"Don't put that away. It still has a job yet to do."

"Jasper, I really think that we are done here. Even if that were not so, there is no need for this ever again."

"You're wrong, Eleazar." Carlisle pulled away from his son and wiped the stray tears from his face before clearing his throat. With his voice coming a bit stronger he continued. "It's use on Jasper is between him and you, but we still have a bit of unfinished business."

"Hell no, Carlisle." He shook his head as he gave his friend his full attention. "I told you already that it is finished; no más. No more. Any debt, any debt at all, has been paid. I'll still ask that you and Jasper help me with a couple of the needed repairs, but this punishment is complete."

"No, it's not."

"I say it is."

"And I respect that, Eleazar, but I also respect you too much to let this remain incomplete. You took a big gamble and put yourself on the line. I understand how that is and I respect you for it, but I will also see to it that you keep your word."

"What word is that?"

"You said three strokes so there will be three strokes taken. By my count there are still two more yet to go."

As the Spaniard began to protest more passionately, his friend got to his feet and approached him. With a pleading look that silenced the dark haired elder, Carlisle carefully retrieved the rolled up strap and allowed it to naturally unfurl. Doubling it over, he placed the free ends against his friend's palm and gently curled Eleazar's fingers closed around it.

"It's just two more. Please do this for me. I need to prove to you and to myself that I can over come this."

"You have nothing to prove to me."

"Then help me prove it to myself. Please, Ele. I have to try to see this through to completion. I would expect it of my son so how can I accept less from myself?"

Eleazar crossed his arms, but still held on firmly to the strap as he bowed his head and sighed.

The silence that hung between the men was nearly palpable as Carlisle awaited the decision. Finally after many tortuous minutes, the dark vampire loosened his arms and pointed towards the table with his strap laden hand.

"Gracias, mi querido amigo," Carlisle whispered before putting himself back in the place of punishment.

Eleazar watched as his friend reclaimed his spot at the table and patiently waited, bound by some need to submit to his authority.

_I never wanted authority over you. I don't even wish to have authority over Jasper. You are my brother, Carlisle. You should not take a position below me. If I wanted to rule I would have stayed in Volterra where all but the Brothers themselves would bow to me. I would never have agreed to this week had I honestly believed in the possibility of this outcome. _

Aware that his breath had ceased, Eleazar inhaled to allow himself a hefty sigh.

_Only two. Only two. But after those two I still have Jasper making stringent demands of me. Santa Maria, what did I get myself into?_

With his next inhalation, the dark haired elder tipped his head to the side and narrowed his eyes slightly.

_Though, I must admit that Carmen has been correct thus far. With this experience shared, the wall between my friends has crumbled, or at least it has begun to. It was good to see them like that; to see the boy's anger fall away when he knew that he was needed, but wasn't there an easier way to get them here?_

Slowly Eleazar came to life and joined Carlisle. Running his hand over the blonde's back he lightly massaged some of the tension out of his shoulder's then bent low to whisper in the doctor's ear.

"Are you certain there isn't another method to prove what you feel must be proven?"

"This is the only way."

Standing back up he slid his arm once again around Carlisle's waist in a motion that was becoming habit and fastened him firmly against his hip.

"Two strokes. No more. Two and this is done. You have put me in charge so you must accept my decision."

"As long as the strokes are sound. If I can't feel it, it doesn't count."

"Time for negotiation is long over. If I chose to return to the love tap you complain of, you will simply have to accept my decision or we are done here and now."

The blonde shook his head.

"Si. I will make these two count, Carlisle, but if you want to get out of this what you claim to need then you must accept my ruling with no questions asked. Now do you accept or are we done?"

At first Carlisle gave no indication as having heard the ultimatum, but seconds later he finally nodded.

"Two."

Eleazar firmed up his grip and brought the strap down hard and fast along the lower edge of Carlisle backside reigniting the fire as he called out, "Uno!"

Rapidly he applied the strap again before the man had time to fully process the first stroke let alone respond.

"Dos and done!"

Dropping the strap and placing his hand against Carlisle's back, he felt a growl vibrating in his friend's chest, but the only sound to escape the doctor's throat was a quiet groan.

Freeing the blonde, Eleazar helped his friend to stand then put his hands on Carlisle's shoulders and looked him sternly in the eye.

"It is over. You've done well regardless of how you think. Your slate..." The Denali elder whistled low. "Clean. No tally left for any wrong committed. We forgive and forget and that includes you. Be proud of your accomplishment, but give yourself a break from worrying about what you think you have done wrong."

Carlisle closed his eyes but nodded.

"Thank you again, my friend. Thank you for humoring me." Rubbing his stinging behind, the doctor winced. "And for being true to your word and making those last two count."

Eleazar laughed.

"I accept your gratitude though I don't understand it."

He gave Carlisle a few moments to settle before issuing his next instructions.

"I think it best that you go lay down. It has been an eventful day and downtime would do you good."

"No. I want to be here for Jasper."

The boy had been standing against the wall close enough to have offered assistance if needed, but now he joined the two elders and laid a reassuring hand on his father's back.

"It doesn't bother me one way or the other, but I think Ele is probably right. I know that I feel like I could sleep for days even though it's not really our thing. Still it is nice to just lay down for a spell and let the tension go as you empty your mind for a little while."

"It is nice and I do plan on doing just that, but not yet. Even though it is Eleazar, I don't like the idea of someone else laying a hand on you. I need to be here to see that you're safe. I hope that I can offer you some support, but I also need this for my own peace of mind."

To Jasper's way of thinking, Carlisle's reasoning was sound enough so he gave in without further argument. Smiling gently, he nodded before putting a bit of pressure against the elder's back to propel him forward and out of the way.

"Then go grab yourself a corner since I believe sitting is not going to be high on the to do list for a while and let Eleazar and I get this rodeo started." With a quick glance thrown in his cousin's direction, Jasper smirked. "Let's dance, Ele. Come on and show meh what 'cha got."

* * *

**AN:** Alright, I know that Carlisle is worn out and Jasper has to be feeling the strain from over working his power while trying to keep the environment stable, but I swear it's Eleazar and I who are most exhausted here. Ele and I are going to need to take a little vacation after all of this. I feel so bad for him since now he has to deal with Jasper. At least Jazzy should go a little easier on him, but his "putting on a happy face" must have my Spaniard reeling right about now.

Many thanks for all the reviews, pms and support. You guys make it all worthwhile. As always, couldn't do this nearly as well without my top notch Beta. Love ya, Splinter. You're the best.

Well, Jazzy is up next and Eleazar is not going to let those pants come down so the Major and I are going to have to find a way to work around that in answer to the "Jasper Pants Off" challenge from edwardian1901. The soldier and I have an idea already so put your thinking cap on, my friend since that means that we will be looking forward to another story from you ...unless Ruby wants to join in, but for her the challenge is in keeping Jazz's pants on. ;-)


	29. Placid Strength

"Jasper, right now I don't feel that I have much left to bring to this dance. I'm of a mind that even one delinquent a day is too much for me to handle. It feels as if I've aged three hundred years since this began."

"Only three hundred? I must not have been enough of a challenge for you," Carlisle called out as he stood leaning over the back of the couch and managed a weak smile for his old friend.

Placing one hand on his hip, Eleazar glowered at the blonde, but humor still shown in his eyes.

"Shut up, Carlisle. I did not ask for comments from the gallery. If you can't be quiet and behave yourself, I shall be sending you to your room." With a cocked brow he smirked as he added, "I'll see to it that Carmen makes a visit to remind you of your current place."

Carlisle stood up from his bent position and held his hands up defensively. "I'll be good. There's no need to bother Carmen."

Snickering softly, Eleazar grinned as his eyes sparkled with mirth."Thought that might change your tune."

"Eleazar." A low accented voice called his name and diverted his attention from the playful exchange.

"Yes, Jasper."

The boy closed his eyes for a moment as he chewed on his bottom lip before blowing out a breath and clearing his throat.

"I've been down this road a time or two with Carlisle already so I am going to cut to the chase and just tell you like I've told him. My introduction into this life was in no way bluebirds and rainbows. I've been the second in command of the greatest of the Southern Covens. You don't survive something like that for very long unless you are hard and tough. You need to understand this."

The Spaniard nodded, but didn't follow where the boy was going with this.

"I've done something wrong and made some really poor choices here today. I knew better than to act the fool while I'm here in your home. I've shown poor judgement in disregarding your property so badly that much has been destroyed. In doing that I have shown disrespect not only for your home and family, but also my own because my behavior is always a reflection of the values that my family teaches me.

Now this is what I see in me as needin' correctin'. If I've missed anything feel free to go ahead and fill in the blanks."

Eleazar slowly shook his head. "No, I have nothing to add. I'd say that you've covered what my lecture was to be about very well."

Jasper bowed his head and nodded before a sigh gently shook his frame. Looking back up into the dark rich honey gold eyes of his cousin, he swallowed hard before announcing, "I've disgraced myself and my family. The first steps on the road to redemption for that is found at your hand, but you are going to have to be harsher with me than you were with Carlisle."

Eleazar's brow furrowed, but before he could form his protest, the soldier pressed on.

"I told you what you needed to know when it came to dealing out Carlisle's punishment. Now I am offering the same knowledge as it pertains to me. I'm accustomed to a life where the cost of disobedience is paid with limb or life. While that is no longer a penance that I must fear, soft forms of discipline do not have any effect on me. I'm sorry that I've put you in this type of situation, but I'm also sure that your years in Italy have taught you how rule breakers should be dealt with."

Drawing a deep breath to fortify his nerves, the Major continued with quiet conviction. "Keep in mind the things that you've learned from Caius. He may be rather despicable as an individual, but his methods of upholding the laws are effective; even the non-lethal ones."

Bending down, Jasper picked the strap up and turned it over in his hands before he folded it up and placed it off to the side."That won't do at all. It's way too light. You'll need this instead."

Swiftly he unbuckled his belt and drew the thick black leather strip from around his waist. Doubling it over, Jasper snapped it creating a loud crack before extending it for his cousin to take.

Eleazar backed several steps away as if he feared that the multipurpose fashion accessory might suddenly catch fire and scorch him.

"I have no need of that, Jasper. I don't want it. You may put it away."

"You do need it if you are planning on getting through to me. Trust me, Ele and believe me, I don't want this any more than you want to do it, but I know that I need it." He thrust the bull-hide belt at the Spaniard once again but still the offering was rejected.

"I said no. Unless I am sadly mistaken, I am the disciplinarian here. I never wanted to be one, but the two of you saw to it that I didn't have a choice. That being the case, since I am to assume this mantle I am the one with the final say and I say no."

"You're not getting it."

"Oh but I am and so will you. Now bend yourself over and put your hands on that table so that we can finally be finished with this disagreeable business."

"Not until you take this."

"I. Do. Not. Want. It. Now do as I say, young man. I will not entertain an argument with you any further."

Feeling his temper flare at the boy's bullheadedness, Eleazar inhaled deeply and held the breath as he struggled to calm himself down. It wasn't like him to get this upset, but Carlisle's son was currently pushing him towards his breaking point and that was someplace that neither he nor the boy wanted to visit.

"No."

It was a simple one word response that served to fuel the Spaniard's anger to new heights. Infuriated at the level of the youth's insolence, the elder vampire aggressively snatched the length of heavy leather from Jasper's hand with a deep resounding growl. _So you think that this is what you want? Have it your way, boy. I'll make you beg for my mercy before I'm done with you._

"I said put your hands on that table, boy and don't you dare move until you have been given permission," the dark haired elder snarled menacingly as he stepped closer to Jasper invading the soldier's space.

Clamping his hand on the back of the Major's neck, Eleazar pushed the youth down over the table top seconds before the belt blazed a line of white hot fire across his behind. Jasper howled loudly then bit his tongue hard to silence his outburst as another stripe branded his hide just below the first. At the third stroke, venom tears sprang into the soldier's eyes in response to the devastating cutting blow and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

_I don't know if I can take this. Shit, what in the hell have I done? Must fix this fuck up, now._

Jasper struggled to adjust the emotional bearing of the room, but another vicious snap of leather fractured his concentration. A strange cry infused the room, confusing the soldier for several seconds before he realized that the sound had issued from his own throat. In anticipation, his body tensed for the next blow which failed to fall. Instead Jasper felt the hand vanish from his neck as the sounds of a struggle echoed loudly in his ears.

"Jasper, get out of here, NOW!"

Popping up and swiftly turning around, the boy was shocked to see his father battling to maintain control over his furious friend.

"I can help."

"You've done enough already," Carlisle raised his voice over the sounds of Eleazar's efforts to free himself. "Don't argue with me this time. Do as you're told. Go outside. I'll handle ..." An elbow driven into his rib, knocked the wind out of the elder Cullen and silenced his voice, but the doctor maintained the headlock that secured the Spaniard safely away from his son.

"Go," he gasped and finally breathed a slight sigh of relief as his boy retreated from the room.

The sound of the front door opening and closing brought nearly instant relief. With Jasper's direct influence broken, Eleazar lost the will to fight and dropped to the floor taking Carlisle down with him. The blonde hissed as his hindquarters made contact with the ground, but he still maintained his unyielding hold until he felt his friend go completely limp in his arms.

The sound of quick footsteps in the foyer caused the doctor to glance up into the face of a bewildered and distraught Carmen.

"He'll be alright. Just give him a few minutes."

"What in God's name...?"

"It was Jasper. I felt it, but I just wasn't able to react fast enough."

"What was Jasper?" Carmen frowned as she knelt down next to her fallen mate and cooed to him softly while gently running her fingers through his thick wavy hair.

"Jasper manipulated Eleazar's emotions. He angered him."

"Why in the world would he do something like that?"

"It was a test." Eleazar's voice came in a harsh whisper that dripped with painful regret. "Same as the night that we found out about his accident with the hunter. He tested us then to see if we would desert him." Eleazar inhaled deeply. "He pushed me to anger that time as well, but I was better able to resist his influence. I wasn't expecting it this time. He was testing me again and this time I failed."

"No, my friend. You did not fail. You did exactly what he wanted you to do."

Raising his head enough to look into Carlisle's eyes, the man gave a slight nod. "And thus, I have failed." Lowering his gaze once again, he continued softly. "He needs discipline, this I know, but that is not what he received."

"Jasper is complicated. What he feels he deserves is nearly always much worse than what is truly earned. Sadly, he will often try to find a way to get what he deems as reasonable. That's what happened here. It was no fault of your own, Ele." With a sigh, Carlisle winced slightly as he got to his feet. "And now if you will excuse me, I need to see to my son."

"Wait." Eleazar flew to his feet, pulling Carmen up with him. "Please. Allow me. This is for me to finish. He needs to be punished and I should be the one to do so."

"Eleazar, don't put yourself back in the same situation."

"I won't, Carlisle." The certainty and determination in his features caused the doctor to yield to his friend's authority with a faint nod. "Your young man is about to find that pulling this trick will prove quite costly in ways he never considered. He desires chastisement his way, but instead he will have to accept my way."

"Which is?"

Eleazar's brow furrowed and he narrowed his eyes slightly in thought.

"I haven't decided just yet, but I can tell you that it will be a hands-off form of punishment. I've learned my lesson and will not be repeating that mistake. I can't trust myself with him if I follow your method, but as I said to you, there are other ways."

Squaring his shoulders, Eleazar took a step only to find himself halted by his beloved's hand on his arm.

"Corazón, are you certain of this? I don't care to see you suffer."

Giving his mate a half smile, Ele quickly ducked his head and kissed her cheek. "I now know what I'm doing, Mi Cielo. No need for fretting. You and Carlisle will just have to trust me."

"I do have unwavering trust in you, but Jasper's power is strong."

"Si, but now that I know the feeling of it better, I will be able to quickly back away should that become necessary. I won't allow him to do that again. Right now I just have to concern myself with what is truly inside of me and I doubt that will be appeased until I find that the boy's lesson has been well taught."

"Eleazar, " Carlisle drew the diverted man's attention. "Be careful. Jasper is perfectly capable of controlling his gift, but it is harder for him when he is upset and right now that will very likely be the case. If he projects, remind him of what he is doing and he will correct it."

The Spaniard nodded as he eased himself away from his wife and went off to find the disobedient soldier boy.

Stepping outside and inhaling deeply, Eleazar easily followed Jasper's scent trail as it led him down towards the lake. Approaching the shore, he saw the hunched over form of the youth as he crouched down near the water's edge peering at his reflection. Without warning, Jasper snarled loudly and slammed his hand through the water distorting his image in disgust.

"Want to talk about it?"

Jerking up right, the Major turned to find his cousin casually leaning against a boulder with his hands wedged deeply in the pockets of his jeans.

The soldier quickly looked away as he shook his head.

"Ah've got nothin' ta say."

"Then I have a great deal to say and you would do well to listen." Filling his lungs, Eleazar allowed the peacefulness of the scenery to settle over him and calm his residual agitation. "What's done is done. There is no way to go back and correct our errors, but before we can forge ahead it is essential that you make me a promise."

The boy immediately found his elder's eyes and held them firmly as he spoke. "It won't happen again."

Glancing down at his feet, the Spaniard hesitated for a second before shaking his head.

"Those words are empty. Rehearsed," he softly replied before looking back up at the boy. "Do not repeat them until you are willing to stand behind them."

"Ah am standin' behind 'em."

"Jasper, you don't even believe that yourself so how can you expect me to believe it?"

The two men stared at each other for a moment before the youth bowed his head.

"Ah'd be lyin' if Ah say my intention wasn't ta manipulate ya."

"I know," Eleazar confirmed gently as he closed the distance between himself and the boy. Grasping the soldier's chin, he lifted Jasper's head until their eyes met again. "But in doing so, you toyed with fire."

Releasing his hold, the Spaniard rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"You cannot do this to me. I alone know where I am weak. You, my friend have had no clue up until now. Las aguas tranquilas son profundas. There is more to the still surface than meets the eye. You never know what lurks in the depths." The elder quietly let his mind wander over how much he was willing to entrust with the youth. Watching the glassy smooth water begin to ripple gently at the touch of the light breeze, he quickly came to a decision. "What appears calm on the outside, is not necessarily so inside." Eleazar swallowed hard as he tried to shape his thoughts into something cohesive. "I've never been one to wish pain or harm on anyone or anything. Tranquility; a peaceful life shared with the ones that I love is all I've ever wanted, but that does not mean that it is what I have always been granted. You see me as easily pushed over and that is a grave error in your judgement."

Closing his eyes and turning slightly away, the Spaniard drew a breath. "I have worked hard to be the man that you see; to tame the temper that I knew too well as a human which only became worse after the change. This is not a part of myself that I am proud of so I have worked over the centuries to rid myself of that quality, yet in a single moment you stirred it back to the surface. You saw weakness and wanted strength. To fall victim to your anger and allow it the freedom to control you is no strength at all. Instead it is the greatest of weaknesses, Jasper. You have no idea how much power was already being exhibited when you decided to help me find the force you felt was needed to punish you."

"Ah... Ah didn't..."

"No, you wouldn't have. No one would, not even Carmen. I learned to hide it long before I learned to control it. It is something that Aro would have prized as highly if not higher than my ability and he would have found ways to nurture it against my will. I couldn't allow that to occur."

"Eleazar, I will never..."

The Spaniard shook his head before locking Carlisle's boy with his stern glare while crossing his arms over his chest.

"I have already told you; do not make that promise until you mean to keep it. I do eventually want your word, but I want it to have meaning. For now, my only desire is for you to think about what you've done and what could have happened because of your shortsightedness. If Carlisle had not been there you could have been injured. You would have healed, but how do you think that would have made me feel? What would it have done to our relationship or to the relationship that I share with Carlisle? Once turned loose, what's to say that I would have even been able to completely regain my control? I'm not sure that I'm back in control of it yet, but I like to think that I am. Perhaps Carmen would have been the next victim of my anger. How would you then feel knowing that you were the one responsible for releasing that upon her head? I want you to think about these things before you come talk to me again. Maybe then I will hear truth in your words."

A surge of guilt and remorse struck Eleazar causing him to shiver, but he simply clenched his jaw and renewed his resolve as he recognized the source of the emotions.

"Good, niño. Bueno. That is what you should be feeling right now though there is no need to share it with me."

Immediately the elder felt the emotional tidal wave recede, allowing him to breathe a little easier even as Jasper remained silently lost within his inner turmoil. Seeing the once proud soldier fallen into disgrace, the elder made a decision.

"Come with me, Jasper." He spoke softly as he grasped the boy's shoulder and turned him towards the house. "You are still to be punished for your ridiculous behavior with Carlisle that began all of this. Those few lashes aren't going to be enough of a corrective measure for your misbehavior. Your playmate paid a heavier price so it would not be fair for you to get off so lightly."

Placing a firm hand on the youth's back, the Spaniard guided Jasper ahead of him, noting how the boy's head remained low with his eyes never straying from the ground at his feet.

When they reached the yard, Eleazar removed his guiding hand and Jasper froze, unsure of what was now required of him.

"Son."

Without raising his head, the soldier glanced up at his elder as Eleazar tipped his head in the direction of the woodshed.

Jasper's vivid crimson eyes grew wide and he trembled uncontrollably as he found himself flooded by memories of a small human boy huddled in a very similar shelter awaiting the appearance of his father to deal with him after a day of childish mischief. Tears that had remained stubbornly held at bay since the beginning of Eleazar's rebuke now fiercely burned his eyes and blurred his vision.

Eleazar tilted his head as he studied the youth with great curiosity wondering just what thoughts disturbed him so.

With a light squeeze to Jasper's shoulder, the Spaniard encouraged him forward on shaky legs that threatened to give away.

"You're going to be okay, Jasper. Trust me. You have nothing to fear."

The boy nodded, but his nervousness escalated with each step he took towards his dreaded destination.

Stopping him in front of the three sided structure, Eleazar turned Jasper back towards him and lifted the youth's head while keeping the boy's back to the shed.

With grim determination in his eyes, the dark haired elder spoke in a strong quiet voice.

"This time you have no say in your punishment. I am invoking my right to demand your obedience as elder and head of this household. The decision of when and how to discipline you is mine and mine alone."

Jasper closed his eyes as he inhaled the clean cold air before swallowing back the venom pooling in his mouth. His eyes fluttered open to make contact with his cousin's as he exhaled slowly.

"Ah'll do whatever ya say, Eleazar. Ya'll git no further fight outta meh and Ah'll be beggin' your forgiveness fer all that Ah've dun."

"That will come in time once you can prove to me that you have learned your lesson."

Jasper cleared his throat before shyly inquiring, "Would ya want meh ta go in and fetch the belt?"

"That will not be necessary, hijo. This is **my** punishment for you, remember?"

The Major swallowed hard and nodded as he waited for the ax to fall.

"You shall remove each piece of wood from the shed and stack it over there." The Denali elder nodded towards the far end of the yard. "You will do so one piece at a time at a human's pace. When you are through, you are to come get me to inspect your work. Once I am satisfied, you will move the wood pile back into the shed. This will continue until I tell you that you are allowed to stop."

Jasper's quiet groan brought a slight smile to Eleazar's face.

"While you are setting about your task, I want your mind on the things that we discussed out by the lake. When your punishment has been complete we will sit down and talk again."

The soldier appeared about to argue, but the elder's raised brows caused him to hold his tongue while offering a nod of acceptance instead.

"Bueno. You may get started. Come find me when you're done."

With a reassuring pat to Jasper's back, Eleazar trudged back up to the house and disappeared inside, leaving the grumbling soldier alone to work out his disciplinary chore.

* * *

Carlisle gazed through the window watching his son's slow progress and gave a slight shake of his head.

"You do know this is a bit pointless? It's not like he will tire out like a human teen would."

"It's not about tiring him out, Carlisle. I would have thought that you would have realized that. It's about giving him the time that he needs to think things over and it reinforces his willingness to grant me authority over him; for the moment anyway."

Eleazar shifted into a more comfortable position in his chair as he continued to read the local paper causing Carlisle to glance over his shoulder at the crinkling sound.

"Ele, you really should upgrade to digital. Reading the news on line will save the lives of countless trees."

Without looking up, the Spaniard murmured softly, almost to himself. "Hmm. And the computer's carbon footprint is so much better for the environment. It's not as if computer production is energy and carbon intensive, let alone the energy use later to run the thing. At least trees are renewable resources. Besides, the paper recycles into craft projects or mulch for the plants. Nothing goes to waste."

"Reading the paper makes you look old fashioned," Carlisle whispered, making Carmen giggle as she sat on the sofa knitting.

Eleazar lowered the newspaper enough to peer over the edge of it at his friend as he cocked a brow and responded, "For your information, I happen to be old fashioned."

"Never let Emmett hear you say that or you won't ever live it down."

Carlisle chuckled as he turned around and leaned against the window sill momentarily forgetting his current condition. The brush of his backside against the wooden frame caused him to hiss through clenched teeth before he could catch himself.

"Is there anything that can be done to help?" Eleazar focused fully on his friend, the news temporarily forgotten.

"No. It will go away soon enough. No need to worry yourself."

"You should be healing faster." Carmen was on her feet and by his side in a flash. Tilting his head back, she carefully examined his eyes. "You haven't fed enough. That's why your recovery is going so slowly. I have some blood in the refrigerator that we keep on hand for those times when the weather is so bad that it makes the animals harder to locate. I'll warm some up for you."

"That isn't necessary. I really am fine and I think it only appropriate that I suffer for as long as Jasper does."

"Carlisle, there is no need for such heroics."

"This feels anything but heroic, Carmen. Trust me." He smiled gently before leaning down to kiss her cheek. "But I appreciate your concern."

"Then at least go out for a hunt. Take something small that will at least help a little."

The blonde shook his head while his grin broadened.

"And here I thought it was you who was so angry with our boyish antics. Now you are trying to mother me? Looks like Jasper and I were wrong. You are more like Esme than we have given you credit for being."

"I accept that as a compliment."

"It is, but now go back to doing whatever it is that you were doing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with me that a little time won't cure."

"Hmph."

The doctor suddenly pulled the petite brunette into a warm embrace as he laughed softly.

"I will be forever grateful to whatever form of Providence whose decision it was to grace my life with you and Eleazar. With you as part of my family, I simply could not be happier."

"You keep reminding yourself of that when you are working side by side with Ele to make those repairs. He can be a beast to work with."

The dark haired elder who had returned to reading his paper, looked up with a shocked expression on his handsome face.

"I am no such thing."

"Corazón, I love you dearly, but I must be honest. It's only right that Carlisle knows what he is getting himself into."

Carmen left her friend still standing by the window and went to curl up in her mate's lap. Tangling her hands in his thick locks, she pulled him into a deep kiss, before pushing him back slightly.

"You are a perfectionist, my heart, and at times to expect too much from the earthly items and people around you. I hear you growling at times when you are caught up in your work, but now that you will have help it would be best not to growl at them."

"I shall be on my best behavior."

"Hmm," Carmen gave a little sigh. "I seem to recall two other men in my life making that same promise and look where it has brought them."

"Ah, but I am not them. I'm smarter and I know better than to cross you. They get to go home, but I have no such reprieve if I were to incite your anger." His golden eyes twinkled as a roguish smile curled his lips. "Unless you are planning on punishing me for my blunders."

It was Carmen's turn to laugh as she lightly slapped her mate's chest. "You would enjoy that too much."

He wiggled his eyebrows before glancing back over a Carlisle and quickly whispering, "Shh. You should not say such things in front of our guest."

"What guest? Carlisle is family."

"Even more reason not to say such things."

Carmen curled up against his chest and giggled softly lost in the giddiness of the moment until a headline on the paper caught her eye.

"They found him?"

"Si."

Even without Jasper's ability, Carlisle could feel the light mood of the room quickly shift.

"Found who?"

"The sportsman." Eleazar sighed softly as his eyes took on a slightly darker shade. "Jasper's hunter."

"When were you planning to tell him? I think he should know." Carmen continued to read the article as she waited for her husband's response.

"Soon, Mi Amor. I want his mind on other things right now. This can wait until later tonight."

"What does the article say?" Carlisle moved away from the window subconsciously placing more distance between himself and the boy outside to protect this secret being shared between the three elders.

"Family man, but Jasper had already known that. Local. Doesn't appear that there was anything outstanding about him and they are claiming the death was natural. Story goes that he went out for a survivalist hike which failed miserably. The official report states that he became lost as the storm blew in and ended up succumbing to the elements. Conveniently, there is no mention of his poaching activities. He is just another statistic proving why one should never go out in the wilderness alone."

"There is a fund set up for the wife and family," Carmen added softly. "To help pay for final expenses and ease their financial burden. Perhaps someone might want to make an anonymous donation. Won't take away the pain of what happened, but might help bring a little peace from knowing that he can make some form of amends."

Carlisle met her eyes and nodded.

"Actually, I think that is an excellent idea. It will help Jasper to know that he will be able to improve the lives of those left behind. Usually when such things have happened, we are forced to move quickly so he has never had this option before. The chance to have some sort of closure will do him good."

Eleazar placed the paper down as he hugged Carmen tightly against him.

"Then it is settled. I'll find out the information for the account that has been set up for the family and we can wire the money into it when Jasper is ready. Please, keep this to yourselves until after I've spoken with him. I need his mind clear right now. It must remain focused on his current misdeeds, not this past accident. Let us settle one thing at a time. Agreed?"

Confirmation from Carlisle and Carmen caused Eleazar to sigh in relief.

"Carlisle, it will still be a few hours before Jasper is complete with his current task. I think it would be prudent if you were to go lay down in your room for a while. Resting will allow your body to heal, but if you feel that it is healing too quickly just let me know and I can fix that."

Carlisle followed the shift in Eleazar's focus to where Jasper's belt still laid coiled up on the table.

"I feel the need to decline that last offer, but I will retire to my room for a bit and give the two of you a little privacy."

Eleazar snorted softly. "Jasper should be coming to get me to inspect round one here shortly. I doubt that will give us any decent quality time together."

"I'm sure that you can come up with some ideas."

The blonde was just beginning to walk away when he stopped and turned back towards his friend.

"Ele, I just think that you should know, Jasper is not going to be able to expunge his guilt by means of your current punishment method."

Eleazar looked away from his friend and felt his wife's hand brush his cheek lightly in a comforting manner. Clearing his throat he gave an almost imperceivable nod.

"I've come to see that."

"If it makes it easier on you, I can..."

"It must come from me." He glanced back over to meet his friend's eyes. "It still won't be what he expects, but I'll find a way to make it be enough to get the job done. It's my hope that what he is doing now will bring him around to understand what I was trying to tell him. If it works, just maybe it won't take as much to make the appropriate impression."

"I hope that it works, my friend."

"Not as much as I do." He gave Carlisle a soft smile before dismissing him with a nod towards the hall then watched as the doctor disappeared from sight.

Carmen was nuzzled against his neck when she felt him sigh too softly to be heard.

"What are you thinking, Corazón?"

"I find myself wishing that they had delayed that search one more day so the news of the hunter would have come tomorrow. I'm worried that this will be too much for the boy to handle at one time."

"In the end it will bring him relief, so all in all it is a good thing to have happened now. He is also blessed to have Carlisle here during his time of need. It will work out for the best."

"I know that you have never been wrong, Mi Amor, but this time... This time, I just don't know."

"Wha'cha don't know 'bout?"

Eleazar kissed the top of Carmen's head before looking up to address the boy.

"I wasn't sure how much longer this was going to take you. I said at a human's pace, Jasper, but I wasn't speaking of the geriatric. I take it that you are done?"

"Yes, Sah."

"Well then let's see what sort of a job you've done."

Easing Carmen from his lap, Eleazar stood and crossed over to the boy. Slapping the soldier on the back in a friendly manner, he allowed Jasper to take the lead towards the door. Just as he reached the cut glass door, the dark haired vampire stole a glance back at his mate and was rewarded by her gentle smile.

_God, I wish that you had given me as much faith in myself as Carmen has in me. For now I will yet again have to rely on her spirit to rescue me if I fail, but please, I implore, do not allow me to fail this boy. He and Carlisle need each other, but they both require me to drive this last nail into the bridge that has been built back up between them. I pray that you will make my arm strong and my aim true so that I may accomplish the task that has been set before me._

Drawing strength from the bright warmth in his lover's eyes, Eleazar returned her smile before allowing the boy to call him away from this peaceful paradise and back out to the harsh reality which began across the yard through the slush and snow.

* * *

**AN:** Well, that didn't go quite the way I had planned. Here I had thought that Jasper would have been easy for Eleazar to handle. I did know that he would try manipulating Ele, but it took a wrong turn rather quickly. I am enjoying getting to know Eleazar a little bit better, though I do apologize to the purist out there. I know that he is set up to be a dark haired Carlisle, but I just feel the need to allow him to be his own man. I've always felt that those still waters really did run deep so I sent about to explore them. Not quite SM's vision, but I don't think I've actually tossed any of the qualities that she had given him.

I have considered letting Jasper skate by on this one, but that wouldn't be fair to Carlisle and it will make answering the Pants-off much more difficult so... the pants will come off during the next chapter. ;-)

All of my gratitude and love goes out to y'all. I'm always stunned that you guys continue to put up with me and can't thank you enough for the words of encouragement, likes, adds and all those wonderful things. Y'all make it all worthwhile.

Special love for my tireless overworked beta, Splinter whom I randomly bury in emails as I keep changing things in my chapters.

Now I'm off to get rid of Jasper's pants. Wish me luck.


	30. A New Perspective

Jasper had lost track of time as he continued to shift the woodpile back and forth, but the low position of the sun behind the trees told him that it was well into the evening hours if not closing in on midnight.

_Land of the midnight sun._ You know, t_hat just aint right._

Placing the final hunk of wood on the neatly layered stack beneath the slanted roof, the soldier decided to take a moment to relax before going to find his cousin yet again.

When his rump hit the sawdust covered ground, Jasper's breath hitched in his chest and it was with great effort that he remained seated. Stretching his legs out, the youth finally settled down in a reasonably comfortable position and huffed out a quiet sigh. Leaning his back against the logs and closing his eyes, the boy let his mind go blank as if in a meditative state. With his body and mind relaxed, Jasper soon found himself pondering the point of this useless exercise that Eleazar had concocted. He could understand the disciplinary value in doing chores that at least served some purpose, but this meaningless hauling, stacking and repeating was doing nothing apart from frustrating him more.

Maybe that was Eleazar's plan. Maybe the elder wanted him to experience what his family felt so that he might better understand how frustrated they became with his continual screwing up. Like he didn't already have a good handle on that. Snorting to himself, he wondered if his cousin had suddenly forgotten that he could feel the emotions of others as well as project his own onto them. He knew all too well how annoyed Carlisle felt whenever he crossed that invisible line that marked the end of the physician's patience.

His brow suddenly furrowed as his thoughts continued to ebb and flow.

_No, that's not really right, Whitlock. Sure you've pissed him off more than a few times, but you've never picked up much more than a hint of frustration from Carlisle. Esme either, for that matter. _

Searching his memories yielded many bouts of disappointment, concern, and regret, but rarely more than a glimmer of frustration.

_Maybe they are just good at blocking it. They have been puttin' up with me for quite a spell now. Probably second nature to them.  
_

Tilting his head back, he contemplated his theory a bit more before deciding that it was the most likely reason for this punishment. It was basically a good solid theory that would hold up against most scrutiny, but there was one other issue that he suddenly stumbled across; frustration hadn't taken it's place in Eleazar's mix of emotions either. Even if Esme and Carlisle were proficient at withholding bits of their emotions from him, surely his cousin wasn't. Neither Eleazar nor Carmen would have had any cause to develop such a skill.

Ele had felt angry for sure thanks to a little bit of ol' Whitlock magic back at the house, but out by the lake the only emotions the boy had been able to capture from him were sadness, disappointment and that same annoying tinge of regret that Carlisle had expressed back in Forks.

"What is it that they have to regret? They've done nothing wrong. I am the cause of all of the problems here about, not them. I'm the one who should be regrettin'; regretting my blasted stupidity. I do regret that all the time, but I can't seem to find a way to fix whatever it is that's wrong with me."

Jasper rubbed his hand over his face as he tried to make sense of everything that was going on.

"There is nothing wrong with you that needs to be repaired, Chico."

The youth opened his eyes to find his cousin standing at the edge of the little three sided shed watching him with a great deal of curiosity.

_At least there is an emotion that seems fittin'._

"Could have fooled me, Eleazar. If I'm not broken somehow, care to explain why is it that I can't seem to make the right choices?"

"From what I've seen, you make the correct choice far more often than not."

Jasper gave a dismissive snort of disbelief as he shifted his gaze towards the ground.

Crouching down to be at the boy's level, Eleazar calmly continued.

"You think I'm wrong, but why?" Sighing softly he narrowed his eyes as he studied the soldier. "Jasper, the ability to make a wrong decision is not unique to you. These things happen. Your mistakes tend to occur more often because of the age at which your body was arrested. While you do learn from these errors, they will likely continue to occur. There will always be a war going on within you between your true mature self and the ageless boy within. When the boy wins, you react off the rampant emotions of youth as opposed to the logic of maturity and then you shoulder too much blame. It does no good for you to be so hard on the boy. Yes, he will make the wrong choice on occasion. That is to be expected. Allow him to learn and don't be so critical of him. Once you accept him for who he is and recognize his limitations, you will find yourself better able to control him."

"Physically, Carlisle isn't that much older than I am, so why doesn't he have this issue? I'm telling you it's just me. I'm too ignorant to learn and that's all there is to it."

"First thing," the Spaniard raised his finger. "There will be no more of that talk in my presence."

"You sound like Carlisle." Jasper dug the heel of his boot into the dirt out of annoyance.

"Perhaps there is a reason for that, no? Could it be that we know you to be an intelligent young man, so we won't hear the contrary?"

"Could it be that you're just too easily impressed?"

"I don't believe so; no. But what I do know is that while Carlisle wasn't that much older than you when he was turned, men of his time were more mature at younger ages because they had to be. In Carlisle's time a boy at the start of his teens was already apprenticing for a trade and expected to take on the responsibilities of a man. Your father has a love of wood crafting. Did you know that? His father wanted him to be a man of the cloth, but Carlisle loved working with his hands and had secretly taken that up to be his trade. His mental maturity along with his experiences have worked in his favor, but even so he is still prone to mistakes; some obviously still quite childlike."

Eleazar smirked slightly before continuing.

"The events of today have certainly proven that he is still given to the odd moments of childish behavior. The difference between you is that he doesn't dwell on these things nearly as much as you do. He'll regret, accept his error and move forward a little bit wiser with his mind set on avoiding a repeat in the future."

"What you're saying still doesn't make a lick of sense. I was a man when I crossed paths with Maria. Hell, I was a soldier fighting a war. I had an occupation. I should be just as mature as Carlisle."

"Each age of this world brings new challenges and new demands on the young. The youth of today are very different from those just twenty years ago. You cannot compare yourself to someone born a century before you and expect to be the same.

Each progressive era it appears that it takes longer for children to reach maturity. I believe this is because of the growing knowledge base. They have so much more to learn and that process is easier when you retain the curiosity of a child. Once you begin to mature, you become more cynical making it harder to accept new concepts. To compensate for that, the species stays in that childlike state for longer periods of time. At least that is the pattern that I've seen emerge over the years.

Your maturation naturally lagged slightly behind Carlisle at the same age because you had more to accomplish before taking that final step. In Emmett's lifetime there was even more lag because of different challenges that he faced. That factors into why you are generally more mature than your brother. Physically is he not a bit older than you? Yet, you are a great deal more mature."

Jasper looked down at his hands as he carefully considered Eleazar's words. He hadn't thought much about it, but he had witnessed the changes in mental attitude that his cousin spoke of. The last few decades of perpetual schooling had certainly placed him in the center of what could have been a grand study on the evolution of the human teenager.

"So you're tellin' me that while I might be more mature than Emmett and the humans around me, I am cursed to repeating the same damn mistakes for the rest of eternity because I will never quite get it right. I will always be this fuck up so there really is no point in even tryin' to do better."

Finally sitting down with a soft grunt, Eleazar kicked Jasper's foot to get the boy to look back at him.

"Jasper, there is not one among us who is capable of achieving perfection. Does that mean that we should stop striving to be the best that we can be?"

The boy stared at him in silence for a few seconds before closing his eyes and sadly shaking his head.

Eleazar raised his brows and carefully looked the youth over before continuing softly.

"Should a few minor flaws have the power to wash away all the good that a person accomplishes?"

"My flaws are anything, but minor. Hell, look at where they've landed me. I have become a burden on you because my family could not continue to deal with my mistakes. I nearly killed a man back home, but it took coming here for me to accomplish that feat."

Clicking his tongue, the Spaniard released a long slow sigh.

"You have to let that accident go, Jasper. You did nothing wrong. I was going to wait until after this unpleasantness was taken care of, but I guess I might as well tell you that the body has been found. A fund has been set up for the family to ease the financial worries brought on by their loss. I know that if you had your way you would go back and prevent what happened, but seeing as that's impossible, we thought that you might feel a little better knowing that you can still assist the family."

For a moment the boy's mannerisms softened as he stared at the elder. "How long have you known?"

"I just found out a little while ago. An article in the newspaper."

"I want to help," he stated with clear conviction.

"I know that you do, niño and I'll see to it that this gets done." The Spaniard sighed quietly. "With that resolved, let me address your other point. You, young man are very far removed from being a burden on this household. We would not have opened our door to you if we thought that you would be troublesome. You have not been delivered to us because your family found you inconvenient. That is not how a family functions. As I've said, you are here just to gain a little distance and hopefully a new perspective. "

Jasper crossed his arms and huffed. "Well I have a new perspective of woodpiles and you have a infestation of voles that have been pretty pissed off all evening since their home keeps moving."

Lowering his head slightly, Jasper motioned towards a small rodent disappearing between the cord of timber. "Planning on making them homeless again?"

"That shall depend entirely on you."

Jasper's gleaming dark ruby eyes flicked up to meet his cousin's with a questioning expression.

"I set you out on this task to give you time to calm down and think. I am not certain that you have been focusing on the correct topic. In fact, it would seem that you have been contemplating just about everything under the sun except what I had instructed."

Immediately the blonde head bowed and the boy drew a slow shaky breath.

"I have thought about the things that you said. I was...What I did really is inexcusable. I had no idea that anything bad could come from my meddling at that moment." Raising his eyes back to his cousin's face, Jasper swiftly amended his words. "At least nothing bad to anyone but myself. Now I see how selfishly I was behaving and I am sorry.

I still would have accepted anything that you would have done to me since it is deserved, but I wouldn't have wanted you to end up feeling bad about it. That concept never even occurred to me. That was the start of where I went wrong, but worse is the idea that Carmen could have been hurt. Even if she wouldn't have been hurt physically, I can't help but believe she would have been devastated emotionally. If anything at all had happened to Carmen..."

Eleazar held his head a bit higher and sighed softly while trying to appear impassive to the shimmer of tears that clouded the boy's eyes. Within seconds Jasper dropped his gaze in shame before a feeling of mortification swept through the Spaniard.

After a few moments of quiet contemplation, the elder slowly stood and extended his hand toward the soldier.

"I think it is time to leave the voles to their housekeeping. Come, Jasper. Let's go back inside and finish this discussion in your room."

The Major remained glue to his spot on the hard cold ground and ignored the offered hand.

"Eleazar, could we have our discussion out here if it's all the same to you? I don't ... I can't face Carlisle or Carmen just yet. I never meant to hurt them and now..."

"It's alright, Jasper. No need to explain. I have another idea that should suit. Come." He shook his hand which the boy finally took as he accepted his cousin's help to bring him back to his feet.

Slipping an arm around the youth's shoulders, the Spaniard gently guided Jasper back down the path that led towards the lake. With the scent of water growing stronger, Jasper expected to find himself deposited on the shore, but that was not included in the elder's plans. Eleazar turned away from the body of water and followed a barely discernible twisting footpath through the overgrowth until they reached a small secluded spot that you could barely call a clearing.

The old scent of deer hung in the air sparking Jasper's hunger and identifying this as a bedding area for the animals.

"I hunt here when I'm feeling lazy." Eleazar smiled gently as he motioned Jasper over towards an ancient falling pine that jutted up at a gentle angle, still supported by its neighboring brethren. "Do you find the scent too distracting? We can go further if it is making you anxious."

Jasper shook his head as he swallowed back the venom pooling in his mouth.

"No, this is fine. It does make me want to hunt, but it's not really that bad."

Carefully gauging the youth's reaction, Eleazar gave a brief nod.

"Human blood still calls to you, but it's hold over you is beginning to loosen if the animals are enticing in anyway. That's a good sign." Motioning toward the large trunk, the elder softly added, "Please come sit."

Fighting back a slight bout of nervous anxiety, the Major shuffled over towards the tree, but chose to remain standing as he cautiously glanced around.

Clearing his throat, the Spaniard suddenly commanded the youth's attention.

"You're stubborn Jasper, but I'm pleased that you finally seem to understand what you risked by offering me that bit of unwelcomed help."

The soldier lowered his head and clasped his hands together before him without offering a reply as he mentally prepared himself for the castigation that he knew was forthcoming.

"That is your maturity showing through," Eleazar gave him a half smile before taken a seat.

"Eleazar, I ...," Jasper couldn't find the words to properly express the regret that held him so tightly in its grip. He lamented having caused his cousin so much grief. At the time, his actions had seem reasonable, but that was no longer the case.

"Let me ask, will you be doing this again? I don't mean just to me, but to anyone?"

Jasper carefully considered his answer before softly replying, "I don't know."

"Hmm." Eleazar looked away from the disheartened boy and rubbed the back of his neck to relieve the phantom tension that found its way there. "Then it is true that there is still a lesson here to be learned."

Keeping his eyes downcast, Jasper shifted his feet through the flattened prairie grass nervously before whispering, "I won't knowingly manipulate your mood again, but to say that I will never use my gift on anyone else would very likely be a lie. Since we can't know what the future will bring, I will not make that promise. I won't lie to you, Eleazar." Glancing back up, he met his cousin's eyes with determination before firmly stating, "You deserve better than that."

The Spaniard nodded in appreciation of the youth's honesty and the compliment that he had been given, before he exhaled softly.

"Jasper, it's good that you realize the severity of the situation and your honest response shows the scope of your true character. I admit that I expected nothing less from you, but it's still pleasant to find that I am correct."

Sitting up a little straighter, the elder crossed his arms over his chest while continuing to hold the boy's gaze.

"I heard you mention a 'they' who felt regret. Would I be correct in assuming that I am lumped in among that pronoun?"

Still looking his cousin in the eye, the youth nodded.

"And is it regret that your perception detects coming from me now?"

Again a silent nod answered the Spaniard's question.

"Hmm, I cannot speak for anyone besides myself, but I do regret having allowed myself to be talked into assuming a position of authority over you. I would much prefer hanging out and just enjoying your company instead of... well instead of this. This is not easy on me, Amigo, and I don't know anyone in his right mind that could find this pleasurable, but this is the agreement that I entered into with you and Carlisle.

I don't want to cause pain in you, Jasper. I didn't want that for Carlisle, either. What I want and what you need are at odds with one another. I will do what I must, but that certainly doesn't mean that I won't regret it every step of the way."

Drawing a slow deep breath Eleazar bit the inside of his cheek as his countenance became stern.

"I doubt that there will be another action that I shall ever be forced to take which I will lament more than what I am about to do now. Come here, Jasper. The time for talking is at an end. Now is time for action."

With Jasper standing directly before him, the elder stared into the boy's dark eyes taking note of the remorse in their depths along with the acceptance of his fate.

Proceeding with a deep sigh, the Spaniard spoke very firmly, but gently.

"The time spent with my firewood was to give you a chance to reflect upon your behavior. You and Carlisle will not destroy our house and belongings. As you've already heard me speaking to him, I encourage you to play fight and enjoy being together, but that will be done outside where it is not a hazard. There is to be no roughhousing where things can become broken."

"I understand, Sir. No more being a jackass. I've got it."

Eleazar turned his head to the side and studied the military youth who had drawn himself to attention with hands behind his back and head held high, faithfully prepared to follow any orders he was given. A half smile came to the dark haired man's face as he mused over the dedication of this army of one.

"Bueno. As you clearly understand the folly in these actions, I feel no need to punish you further for the damage done. You are still required to help repair what remains broken, of course, but this lesson is one already learned."

Jasper opened his mouth to protest, but snapped it shut when a rumbling warning growl came from his caretaker.

"Now, what you are not walking away from is the unauthorized use of your talent. This I see as a much more serious matter."

"Sir, in my defense..."

The stunned expression on the elder's face immediately stopped Jasper's argument before it could properly begin.

"In your defense? You believe that what you did... No. You believe that putting others in danger is a defensible act?" The Spaniard raise a brow as he continued to stare dumbfounded at the youth.

"Well, no, but the circumstances surrounding the incident can be."

"How so? Please do tell."

"I did have your permission to adjust or enhance your emotions to suit the situation as a supportive measure in helping you through this ordeal."

"No permission was given allowing you to enrage me."

"You never stated that directly."

"I didn't believe that I would need to. It would seem like the most common of sense to me."

Eleazar lowered his head to cradle it in his left hand while his right arm remained firmly crossed over his chest. "So let me see if I'm understanding correctly. You will, without argument of any kind, accept punishment for damage done to my home and belongings that occurred accidentally, but you will argue for clemency from punishment for actively doing something that you know was not only wrong, but dangerous as well?"

Jasper's stance softened slightly as he lowered his gaze.

"Not if you're going to put it that way."

The elder raised his head, his golden eyes wide with disbelief. "How else would you put it?"

"It's just... I just... Well, it's not like I knew that it was going to be dangerous," the youth responded in barely a whisper.

"Oh, and that makes all the difference in the world, does it, Jasper? No, Chico. That's why you don't do this to anyone. You never know how the person is going to react. You cannot predict an adverse reaction. You don't know what is going to be a push too far for any given person especially when you are playing around with something as strong as anger."

Jasper's proud head bowed as he sighed inwardly. It had only been a little push. How could he know that it would go so badly?

"Jasper, I am not trying to make you feel worse, but you still don't seem to fully understand the scope of what has happened here. How is it that you can feel remorse from the realization that Carmen would have been hurt one minute and then try to defend your actions the next?"

When the soldier offered no explanation, the elder slammed his hand down against the fallen tree with a thunderous crack making the youth jump as his darkening eyes immediately shifted to the Spaniard's.

"This is why I must follow through with what I regret most. You have to understand, Jasper. You cannot do this and if you were truly repentant, you would not try to find ways to defend your choice."

The southerner swallowed hard as the sharp tone in Eleazar's soft voice stung him.

"I was prepared to accept your promise and apology, but now I see that there is still a way to go before you earn that acceptance."

"I wasn't attempting to defend what I did. I was merely trying to explain why I felt that I could do it. I will never do it again when it comes to you. "

"So you claim, but I'm not certain that I can trust that. It appears that I'm going to have to make sure that you keep your word."

Jasper's brow furrowed and his eyes went pitch black as the elder looked on.

"My word is my bond, Eleazar. I don't need incentive to keep it."

_It appears that I've just hurt the boy's pride. I may be able to work that pride to my advantage._

"Good. That is as it should be. Then there is no need for correction here. We can just call this off and go home. I mean obviously if your word can be trusted then what is the point..."

"Atonement."

"For what, Jasper? You say that I gave my permission so there was no wrong doing. One does not atone for a simple misunderstanding."

The soldier drew a deep breath while looking into his cousin's eyes then very slowly exhaled before lowering his gaze.

"There is a need for atonement when a person has wronged another. I knew that what I was doing was wrong. I should never have done it. I also should not have tried to justify my actions through semantics. I don't know why I said what I did."

Eleazar reached out and placed a hand on the youth's shoulder.

"Because it is not easy to blindly accept chastisement at the hands of another even when you know that it is well earned."

Jasper sighed as he closed his eyes and nodded.

"Eleazar," the soldier began in a whisper. "I need to atone, but I swear to you that I will never intentionally enrage anyone again."

When he forced himself to look back up at the elder, the venom tears that he held at bay coated his crimson eyes.

"I have a confession. The other night when Carlisle and I went out hunting to give you and Carmen some time alone, I did the same thing to him. I needed him to act on something that I have done, but I didn't believe that he would so I enraged him. I thought that was my best option, but just like with you, it wasn't."

Jasper's head drooped as he continued in a small voice, "I could have lost everything because I thought that I knew better than Carlisle. I never meant to risk so much again, but look at where I am now. I have damaged my relationship with you and Carmen, probably Carlisle as well, because apparently I still haven't learned that my manipulation of others can be selfish, irresponsible and apparently highly dangerous. I've only ever considered the hazard to myself, which I knew I could endure. The fact that I never even bothered to stop and think about the other people involved..."

Glancing up at his cousin through the veil of honey golden hair that obscured his face, Jasper pleaded softly.

"Please help me make amends so that I may finally learn from this mistake. I never want to put anyone in that situation again."

The Spaniard found himself struck speechless by Jasper's confession and passionate plea, but after a few moments of thought he held his hand out to the boy.

"Now that, Amigo, I do believe. Come. Let me see if I cannot reach that boy inside of you and teach him how better to behave."

Taking a firm hold of Eleazar's wrist, Jasper allowed himself to drawn down across the elder's left knee even though a strong wave of embarrassment swept through him.

"Jasper, there is no need to be embarrassed with me."

"I can't help it. A whippin' is much easier to take. That's more of a man's punishment; even a soldier's punishment on occasion depending on the infraction. Right now being over your knee makes me feel like a child. It's one thing to feel like that with Carlisle, but with anyone else..."

"You should feel like a child since it is the child and not the man to whom I wish to address."

Jasper's shoulders heaved as he sighed heavily.

"I have noticed a trait that you and Carlisle seem to share. Neither relinquishes control without a fight. Both of you may submit to my authority at this time, but always with strings attached that allow for you to still maintain some measure of control. With you, the moment that I assumed control you manipulated me in an attempt to regain what you felt was lost.

There are times where you must release that strangle hold and allow the other person to lead. I'm not saying to go blindly, but once trust has been established, you have to be willing to put faith in that other person to hold your best interest at heart. You may not always get the results that you seek, but you might find that the other person knows what is needed.

You cannot be an authority on all things, son. That is impossible. Sometimes you must accept that another person might see things a bit more clearly than you do."

With a soft groan, Jasper acknowledge the Spaniard's words. In a hoarse voice heavy with emotion, the boy softly validated his cousin's observation. "It's the same as what happened with Amanda. Carlisle saw more clearly than I did, but I didn't listen to him. If I hadn't been so damn stubborn..."

"I believe that the correct term would be prideful. Your pride will not suffer you to be wrong. It's that same pride that demands constant control. There are worst character traits to have. This one is quite easily worked around if you're willing to put some faith in your family and the others who care about you."

A shiver ran through the boy causing him to shudder before he answered quiet, "Yes, Sir. I'll do the best that I can, but this is an old dog trying to learn a new trick."

"As is this one. We shall all have to be patient with one another."

Shifting around a bit, Eleazar managed to tip the soldier over the fallen evergreen behemoth while still keeping the youth supported by his thigh as a means of emotional comfort. Wrapping his left arm snugly around Jasper's waist, the elder held him firmly against his hip as he sighed softly.

"You know, I have seen just about as much of this side of both you and Carlisle as I can stand for one day. This is not the proper end to hold a conversation with, though it would seem that at times it's the one part that listens."

Despite his predicament, Jasper chuckled softly before responding, "That's because my head is a good deal harder."

"Ah. So that's the problem. Well that does make sense then."

Eleazar cleared his throat and traded in his easy going nature for a stern demeanor before addressing the boy again.

"Jasper, why is it that you find yourself getting a closer look at this scenic forest floor?"

"Because I fucked up."

"Elaborate."

"I took advantage of an opening that let me convince myself that it would be alright to dick around with your emotions."

"Specifically?"

"I riled you up so that you would punish me harder which was a dumb idea and I assure you, whether you beat my ass or not, I will never do that again."

"Excelente. Lesson learned so this will only need to serve as a reminder should you find yourself tempted again."

The first stroke came fast and sharp, taking Jasper by surprise as it shifted him a bit further forward causing his feet to leave the ground. Completely suspended by the tree and his cousin's strength, the soldier suddenly felt completely vulnerable and out of control.

Eleazar quickly rekindled the searing pain across the boy's flank that had just finally begun to dull. His hand collided with Jasper's smarting backside several more times before the youth's panic took over. Clawing at the tree, the soldier tried to pull himself over it and out of the elder's restraining hold, but the Spaniard would not yield. Instead the disciplinarian strengthened the lock he held around the boy's waist while placing his free hand against the back of Jasper's thigh to try to still his struggling form.

Never raising his voice above a whisper, Eleazar calmly spoke to the spitting snarling teen.

"Jasper. Amigo, no. Stop this. You have to trust. I know the boy is scared. I know that he doesn't like the idea of losing control, but you can rein him in. Primo, listen to me. You must teach him that you are the one in charge; not him. You can do this, but you going to have to have faith in yourself and in me."

"I can't," the soldier growled as he twisted in an attempt to break free.

"You can. You possess this strength. It takes more strength to relinquish control then it does to cling to it. You have this inside of you. Find it, Jasper. Let your will bend to mine. Submit, niño. Submit."

Though the word was not spoken as an order, the boy's mind latched onto it and the fight inside of him began to fade. As an order, he would have been forced to comply, but as a request, Jasper found himself wanting to.

"Good, Jasper. Beuno. You're doing well. Maravilloso. Do not hold your breath. Let it flow freely and take your fear away with it. That's it."

His muscles were taunt, ready to run or fight, making him quake from the effort utilized in regaining his self control.

"Relax."

"If I could only get one foot down on..."

"No, my boy. This lesson should be swift and you will not have control over it in anyway. I take it that Carlisle has never placed you in a position that leaves you defenseless."

Jasper shook his head while continuing to struggle with the nearly overwhelming tension that tied his muscles in knots.

"I always have a choice with Carlisle. There is always an option to refuse so I've never felt like this."

Eleazar exhaled forcibly as he began to loosen his death grip and gently rub the youth's back.

No longer feeling trapped, the Major was finally able to allow his muscles to go lax while remaining draped over the Spaniard's knee.

"Have you ever refused Carlisle?"

Jasper let his mind wander as he watched a mouse scurrying among the tall grass and leaf litter before shaking his head.

"No. The closest I have come to refusing was the night that he told me he was sending me out here."

The elder sighed softly.

"Then this shall truly be new for us both, but you must trust that I won't let harm come to you. Can you do that, Jasper? I know it is asking a lot since our relationship is still so new, but I think you will get more from this correction if we proceed my way."

With the boy failing to respond, Eleazar offered gently, "The decision is yours to make, but once made there is no changing of the mind. This will be the only time I ask, Jasper; do you put yourself in my keeping or no?"

The elder heard a faint gust of breath escape from the youth as he laid quiet and still. Finally Jasper closed his eyes and nodded while he groaned softly.

"I do trust you, Eleazar. I would trust you because Carlisle puts so much faith in you, if for no other reason, but there are other reasons. Since I've arrived, you have been nothing but kind to me. Even during those times that I know I've had to challenge your patience, you've never given me any reason to fear you."

Sniffling and clearing his throat to tame the mucoid venom, Jasper pulled his hands up beneath him and pressed them firmly out of the way against his chest while resting his cheek against the rough bark.

With a sigh of resignation, he muttered, "Do with me what you wish."

"If I did what I wanted, we would be back at the house relaxing in front of the fire." The elder ceased to breathe for a moment before inhaling slowly. "I do this because you have told me that it's what you need. You feel guilt for more than just this one mistake that I am willing to address. Due to your talent, I've felt a little of this guilt and can only imagine the burden that you've laid upon yours shoulders. I know that you cannot continue as you are now.

Carlisle tells me that you require penance of some nature before you can forgive yourself. I pray that I can afford this to you, Jasper."

Returning the youth into the cradle of his hip, Eleazar snugly secured Jasper yet again before placing his hand lightly against the soldier's rear.

"I did not think to give warning before, but I am ready to be done. Are you in agreement with me?"

Jasper drew a breath then answered in a strong steady voice. "Yes, Sir. Fire at will."

The Major's foot still stretched out in search of terra firma, but this time he didn't struggle as the stinging strokes rapidly lit his tail on fire.

There was no slow start up that gradually increased in strength as Carlisle was prone to do. From the first blow, the Spaniard's hand fell hard and swift. Within seconds, Jasper was mortified to hear himself whimper as tears filled his eyes.

His ankles crossed and uncrossed of their own volition; his body trying to find a way to ease the growing pain, while his mind demanded that he remain stationary and bear the well earned punishment. He could not allow himself to breakdown. He must endure with as little reaction as possible least he appear weak before the elder. Showing signs of weakness had always proven fatal for others and he would not allow himself to fall into that trap. He had learned that long ago when he woke to this life. Realistically, he knew that he was safe, but his early conditioning resurfaced due to the rare vulnerable situation that he found himself in. The soldier willed himself to remain strong in the hope that he would be able to retain a shred of dignity and maybe earn his cousin's respect.

His traitorous tears, on the other hand, had plans of their own.

Jasper valiantly tried to blink them back, but there were always more ready to make their bid for freedom. He didn't know when the battle had truly been lost, but to his horror he found his face wet and sticky from the freely flowing venom as he sniffled in a habitual, if pointless, attempt to breathe.

Liberating a hand to wipe his face, the soldier suddenly hissed loudly in response to a sharp blow delivered lower to the most sensitive area of his already tender behind.

"Jasper, can you hear me?"

The boy groaned in response before his teeth clamped down hard on his bottom lip to stifle any further sounds of his discomfort.

"You are never to push anyone to anger ever again. I don't care who it is or under what circumstance. You have made me a promise and should you break that promise, I will assume that I was too lenient with you and will have to rectify my mistake. There will be no second chances given with this.

Your actions today have put yourself and others in danger. That will never be acceptable. Carlisle would not suffer this behavior as you are well aware and neither will I. It hurts me to punish you, so I beg you to keep your promise, Primo because you may rest assured that regardless of my pained heart, I will keep mine."

The certainty of Eleazar's tone and the sadness emanating from him, caused the boy to shudder as he tried to show his acceptance with a nod.

"Sorry," he managed to respond in a shaking voice.

"I know you are, Amigo and we all make mistakes, but I need you to be more mindful not to repeat this one."

Several more punishing blows and the elder's hand came to rest on the youth's thigh while the arm around Jasper relaxed slightly.

"It's done. Lesson learn and incentive given. We won't have this again."

The Major swiped at his tear stained face while he dragged slow deep breaths into his lungs to help ease the tension he continued to feel.

A strange awkwardness hung over the two men to encompass the small clearing. Neither was exactly sure how to proceed from this point so neither moved for several minutes. Finally, Jasper slipped off of the elder's lap to land back on his feet with a dull thud.

Lowering his head and covering his eyes with his hand, the boy turned away from his cousin and shuffled towards the edge of the clearing with a pain filled stride.

Without moving from his perch, Eleazar inquired softly, "Jasper? Are you okay?"

The soldier held his hand up for a second before dropping it over his chest as he curled up slightly. While hugging himself, the boy suddenly realized how much he took his father's comforting for granted. Now that he was in physical pain and emotionally ravished, he wanted nothing quite as much as the doctor's gentle reassurance that all was forgiven and now everything was once again alright.

* * *

**AN:** Eleazar, Jazz and I had a few problems, but we seem to be back on track now. Look for some Papa/Jazzy bonding on the horizon. This little Alaskan getaway has been an eye opening experience for the soldier and soon he will be back home in the arms of his loving family.

As always, thanks to all of you guys for hanging in there with me. Thanks to my wonderful Beta, Splinter, for all that she does to make me look like I know what I'm doing.

I feel like I'm neglecting my sweet Carlisle. Must do something about that very soon. ;-)


End file.
